


Fallen From Grace

by handsometabbyc



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: American!Loki, Established Relationship, Human AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-04-20 02:34:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14251209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/handsometabbyc/pseuds/handsometabbyc
Summary: Odin and Frigga were British missionaries who settled in midwestern America with their young son, Thor, after Odin takes an interest in starting a church there. They adopt a second son, Loki, whom they eventually have a falling out with after he goes down a bad path. Years later, after Loki had gotten his life together, Thor shows up asking for his help.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Well apparently I wanted to write this enough for it to come into fruition. (beyond a sentence scrawled in a journal I mean) not 100% set on the title so I might change it eventually

Loki was in the middle of a fitting when Thor showed up to the suit shop he worked at. He was vaguely aware of the door opening followed by a succession of sharp rings of the bell on the desk.

“Should you get that?” The man he was attending asked nervously when Loki barely reacted.

“It can wait a second.” Loki dismissed calmly.

“Hello?!” A familiar voice called, and Loki sighed, hands dropping from the hem he was working on.

 “Why don’t we take five, alright George?” He said before standing and walking briskly out of the fitting room. Thor stood by the front desk, arms crossed with a little frown, dressed like it was his off day from whatever manual labor job he did nowadays and overall sticking out like a sore thumb in his jeans and timberland boots.

Loki studied him wordlessly for a moment before saying: “This might not be the right place for you sir, I suggest the Big and Tall on Clark street instead.”

“You say that in jest, but that's actually helpful. One of these days I am going do need a new suit...” Thor replied with a shrug, looking around. “…Places like this are so arrogant after all.”

Loki sighed with annoyance. “Thor. So good to see you again.”

“Is it?” Thor said, examining a marble elephant display on the front desk used to hold black business cards embossed with _‘Ebony and Ivory’_ in silver lettering. “You don’t call, you don’t write, one would be led to believe you don’t like us.”

“I don’t…plus Dad was pretty clear about wanting me to fuck off after my grand finale of fuck ups, the whole ‘convicted felon’ thing was just the final straw of a downward spiral.”

“That was him, I like to think we didn’t leave it off so bad that you felt you couldn’t keep in touch.”

“I haven't been that hard to find.” Loki said as George came out from where he’d left him, looking a little flustered.

“I ought to go.” He said.

“So sorry to hear that. Let me give you a new appointment.”

“T-that’s quite alright I can see you’re busy…”

“No, I assure you it’s nothing.” He said, striding to the sleek black computer behind the desk. As his hands lighted over the key board George shuffled over to the desk, stealing a glance at Thor.

“How’s tomorrow at two?” Loki asked, glancing up.

“That’ll be fine.” The man said, hurrying off.

“I think you may have cost yourself a client.” Thor commented with amusement.

“Please, Mr. Montgomery is a paralegal at Stark and Associates, and unless I’m mistaken I’m sure you understand why I don’t have anything to worry about.”

“Yes, we got wind of your nuptials.” Thor said uncomfortably.

Loki smirked, self-consciously twisting the thick silver band set with a decent chunk of emerald on his left ring finger.  “I assumed so, ‘Minister’s estranged son elopes with hot shot male lawyer’ is prime gossip. But no, he was probably more alarmed by your presence, might've thought you were a thug. I’d say you have less than ten minutes before someone shows up to make sure I'm alright.”

“What? Why didn’t you say something?!” Thor said with alarm, and Loki shrugged.

“Slipped my mind. You should probably hurry up and state your business. I assume you didn’t come all the way up to Chicago from good ol' St.Louis Missori just say hello.”

 “We just…we need your help with something.”

“What, you’re asking for _my_ help?” Loki laughed. “Sounding a bit desperate there.”

“Yes, we’re in a bit of a bind, did you hear about it?”

“I don’t have a congregation full of busy bodies to keep me informed. You’ll have to fill me in.”

 “…An accident happened. Some kid was hurt, and his parents sued the church.” Thor replied.

“Wait, are you talking about that recent accident where an eight year old boy fell through some old creaky stairs and broke his arm?” Loki said with sudden recognition.

“I thought you said you didn’t hear about it.” Thor accused.

“I didn’t know that was our church. Though come to think about it that would explain why Tony was telling me about it. I must’ve not been paying attention to the details.”

“Son of a-“ Thor muttered in frustration.

“So, essentially, you’re here because you want help from my lawyer hubby then.” Loki said.

“It doesn’t have to be him specifically…but yes, I was hoping you might help us.”

 “…I’ll ask Tony about it.” Loki relented knowing this conversation was probably going to keep going in circles, figuring Tony would find the idea absurd.

“And uh…congratulations, about you marriage. I know it doesn’t seem like it the way we left things off, but some of us genuinely were glad to hear you’re doing alright. Me especially.”

Loki rolled his eyes but had to smile at that. “…I did clean up pretty well didn’t I?”

\---

It was around nine when Tony came home, greeted by the the sight of Loki sprawled on an easy chair with a sullen look as he nursed a brandy, the only light being a single lamp that cast odd shadows across his face.

“So uh…apparently that brother of yours paid you a visit?” Tony commented.

“You heard about that huh?” Loki said as he finished of his drink, setting it aside.

“How could I not? Luckily I have a vague idea what your brother looks and sounds like so I knew it wasn’t some shady character from your darker days come to get a hit on you.”

“I figured.” Loki said.

" 'Figured' isn't good enough, I...think about that sort of thing." Tony emphasized, worry and anger in his voice. "Constantly. You know how much it would kill me if something were to happen to you?"

"I didn't mean to frighten you." Loki acknowledged, voice tinged with regret.

“So what did he want?” Tony went on to say on as he served himself some whiskey from the bar.

“I believe we might’ve talked about it, our church in the town I came from have been having some legal trouble. He was asking for help and I told him, well: I’d ask you.”

 “Sure, why not?” Tony said simply with a shrug as he downed half his drink.

 “Why not?” Loki said with dismay. “I thought you’d say no.”

“Why would you think that?” Tony asked critically. “I actually suggested offering legal counsel when we talked about it and you flippantly dismissed it.”

“I did? Geez Louis, I really must’ve blocked out most of that conversation. Anyway, I don’t think you should help. They’re all garbage, especially concerning what they did to me.” Loki said.

“I understand it's complicated, but wasn’t it your fault you got shunned by them in the first place?” Tony said critically. He was usually the habit of being more sympathetic about Loki's side of the situation but he was still a little sore about the day's events.

“It is complicated.  You try living up to someone like Odin’s expectations, only to realize it never really mattered, that he probably wouldn't ever have trusted you to take over shepherding his flock, regardless of what you’ve done. Makes you think…what’s the point?”

“I’m sure you know that’s a horrible excuse.” Tony said, though his conviction was softening. “Just feeding right into his expectations I mean.”

Loki gave a helpless little shrug. “You could say he was right…I mean who knows me better than the man who raised me?”

Tony sighed, walking over to where Loki sat. He undid his tie as he did, setting his glass down next Loki's before leaning over him too turn on the lamp over his head. It cast him in a warmer light, strange how much of a difference that made.

He half kneeled between Loki's spread legs, looking down on him. Loki looked back up with those deep green eyes you could get lost in if you weren’t careful, his shoulder length dark curly hair out of its professional slick ponytail and wild around his face.

“I like to think I know you pretty well…well enough that I know you’re not someone who should be underestimated.” He shrugged off his suit jacket, and after folding it threw it on the nearby couch.

Loki laughed gently at that, running a hand up Tony’s thigh to his ass.  “…That isn’t exactly saying he wasn’t wrong.”

“Please, if you were some idyllic doe faced angel you wouldn’t be with me.” Tony said. “Honestly I can’t see you as a preacher.” He shifted so he could sit in Loki’s lap, easing into the position and leaning up against his chest.

“I was a kid, admittedly enticed by it. And you'd be surprised how much power that comes with being a religious leader, dear old dad always had his congregation hanging on his every word. As you can guess eventually I found other alternatives. But anyway, I take it you're set on helping?”

“…I’m not gonna barge in and help your folks without your go ahead,” Tony murmured as he pulled back Loki’s mane and pressed his lips against his neck, breath ghosting across his skin when he spoke again. “…But I think we should.”

Loki scoffed at that, finding harder to concentrate on the conversation with Tony pressed up against him and kissing him like that, not that he was about to tell him ease up. “What, because they’re family?”

“No,” Tony said, balking a bit as if the concept was absurd, pulling away so he could look at him with a furrowed brow. “You should do it despite the fact their family. Maybe finally get some closer.”

Loki chucked darkly, arms possessively tightening around him. “Sometimes I hate how good you are.” He growled fondly into his ear.

“Hey, I’m the best baby.” Tony weakly managed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shortish chapter I was originally going to include with the next, but I felt it could stand on it's own and I wanted to give it some extra attention

After the icy interaction between the two of them Thor was sure he wasn’t going to hear back from Loki at all, let alone the next day after he'd gotten back from Chicago.

 _'You have the same number.'_ He said when Thor questioningly answered the unknown number.

“Well it hasn’t been that long.” Thor said. “What, seven years?”

' _Try ten_.' Loki shot back.

“It can’t have been that long.” Thor said.

‘ _Well, given the fact I spent almost half of that behind bars…’_ Loki started.

“Right, I guess it does…add up.” Thor said apologetically. “So uh, did you decide?”

‘ _Luckily for you Tony did convince me._ ’ Loki answered. ‘ _He thinks it’s a good idea for whatever fucking reason.”_

“That is fantastic news.” Thor said with a big grin, which faded with the next thing Loki said.

‘ _Honestly though I’m surprised you got Odin on board.’_

“Right…yes.” Thor said stiffly.

 _‘You didn’t?’_ Loki said with surprise, a hint of giddiness in his voice and Thor groaned.

“I’m sure he will, when he learns I got such a good lawyer.”

“Are you so sure about that?” Loki teased on other side.

“…Yes?” Thor answered questioningly, and Loki chuckled.

 _‘Oh, this is gonna be a hoot and a half…’_  He said. _‘I gave Tony’s people your info, they’ll be in touch.’_

He lowered the phone when Loki hung up, staring forward in distraught. He hadn’t been that worried before, but Loki had introduced a bit of doubt to his confidence.

He jumped when the phone rang in his hands, and, after seeing it was his parent's house, shakily answered it.

“Oh! Mom,” He said, relieved to hear her voice instead of his father's. “ I was just thinking about you...Sure, I’d love to come to dinner tonight, I actually have some uh…some good news.” He laughed nervously when she demanded what it was. “I better say it in person. Dad’ll be there of course, right?” He was quiet as she lamented as she usually did about his work, though concluded he would be there.

“Alright,” He said, biting his lip in worry. “See you tonight, love you.”

\---

His parents didn’t live in the same house as the one he grew up in. Not before he was sixteen anyway, when they 'upgraded'. It was nicer, bigger with a couple more rooms, not to mention a pool, but he still preferred the old place. He had to share a room with Loki in there for one, and sometimes he wondered if that sudden change had been a factor of them growing apart. Even if he'd just been a better big brother in general, perhaps more observant or reached out more he could've stopped him from descending into delinquency.

As he pulled up next to his father's shiny black Mercedes, he looked up at the 'new' house. He hated to admit it, but he felt little sentimentality towards it. Perhaps there wasn’t anything he could’ve done for Loki, that he would’ve done the things he did regardless. Either way he wished they'd stayed in that little house, even if he couldn’t have stopped whatever was going on with his brother.

 “So your mother was telling me you had some good news.” Odin said after the three of them had sat down to eat.

Thor cleared his throat. “Yes, I do in fact.”

“Did you finally ask Jane to marry you?” Odin good naturally joked.

“I told you father, I want to save up a bit more before I do.” Thor said uncomfortably. "...At the very least so I can put a down payment down on a house."

 “You shouldn’t wait too long, a girl like that won’t stick around forever.” Frigga chimed in.

“We’ve discussed it, she understands.” Thor insisted testily.

“Really, even that disappointment of a brother managed to get married before you did.” Odin said in a scornful tone.

“He’s doing alright these days really.” Thor said defensively. “He has steady employment as a tailor in a suit shop.”

Odin looked at him with bemusement. “And you know that how?”

“…The shop has a website, he's on it.” Thor said after taking a moment to choose his words. It was true, that had been how he’d found him in the first place.

“A couple of my friends sent me a link to that." Frigga said. "...He changed his last name to his husband's for whatever reason, but it’s him alright. Looks so much like that fellow everyone suspected was his birth father.”

“It was a mistake to adopt him.” Odin said tiredly. “Junkie mother, probably knocked up by her dealer, should’ve just let the foster system have him, he’d have been just as well off.”

“Dear, please…” Frigga urged. “Those were all just rumors. All we know for certain is she was a poor girl who needed help.”

“Fine, fine.” He grumbled.

“That uh…actually is what I wanted to talk about. My brother I mean, not his um…shady parentage.”

“Oh?” Odin said, looking critically at him as he chewed. “You did say you had good news correct?”

“I do. I actually went to that shop he works to see him yesterday.” Thor smiled at the memory, admittedly it had been good to see him for the first time in years. " It’s a nice place, even if it was a bit pretentious for my personal tastes.”

“Why exactly did you go to the shop in the first place son?” Odin asked suspiciously.

“Well…I figured he could help us. Or rather his husband, Tony Stark. He is a highly sought lawyer after all...and Loki said he agreed.”

“You didn’t have to waste your time doing that.” Odin scolded, resuming haggardly eating. “We don’t need his help.”

“Odin, perhaps we could use it…” Frigga insisted.

“I said we don’t need his help.” Odin repeated, tone rising slightly. “…He’d just be a disadvantage to the case."

“Well it's not like it would be Loki helping, from what I understand it would be Mr. Stark and his legal team.” Thor insisted.

“Why don’t we at least meet with him?” Frigga urged.

“Loki probably won’t even come.” Thor added quickly.

“…Alright, but just a meeting.” Odin relented after a moment of thought.

Later his mother took him aside to talk to him privately.

“I wanted to talk about what you said, about your brother not coming…were you just saying that to appease your father?”

“Not at all.” Thor said with tight smile. “I suppose I brought it up because it might help, but he wasn’t even eager about even seeing me in Chicago. I don’t see him willingly going all the way back here."

“I was just wondering if it would be possible if he could actually.” Frigga asked with a small smile. “It’s just been so long since I’ve seen him. I’d visit, but…well you know.” She trailed off, sadly smiling. “I could probably have an affair and your father would feel less betrayed. Not that I don’t understand, he did put the family through hell. But...I don't know, it's hard to explain.”

"I know, I feel the same way." Thor said sympathetically. “…I think he’s changed now though.”

“I do hope so, for his own sake.” Frigga said. “But regardless…see if you can persuade him come alright?”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Thor said.

 


	3. Chapter 3

“…I’m starting to rethink this.” Loki said as he drove, curling his lip up in disgust at vaguely familiar buildings through the windows of thier rental car. Tony sat next to him, having relinquishing driving because Loki insisted knew the area better, and looked at him with tired amusement. It was late in the day so they’d checked into a hotel before they set off for the church, where Odin had been insistent meeting them at according to Thor.

“Babe, it’ll be fine. What happened to all that gleeful talk about shoving it in Odin’s face?”

“Christ, you know me. I’m all talk.”

“Well, that’s not quite true and we both know it.” Murmured Tony, reaching over to the knee nearest him and giving it squeeze. His fingers lingered, and Loki smiled fondly despite still looking a shade miserable.

“Fucking hell, fine.” Loki conceded, reaching down to enclose Tony’s hand with his own before he started a bit, swearing as he switched on his turn signal.

“Almost made me miss the turn.” Loki said with a smirk.

“…I don’t know if you did.” Tony said in confusion, moving to check the address. “Isn’t it supposed to be...yeah, its on Elm street, I think that's still a good way from here.”

Loki, having already made the turn but had realized his mistake, kept driving with a tired exasperated look on his face, ignoring Tony repeatedly asking what he was doing.

Loki finally stopped when he came to an older looking church building, pulling up and parking before sitting back staring ahead numbly.

“I know they’re at the new place now, I just wasn’t thinking and...and I need a moment.” Loki answered before Tony could ask again. He laughed suddenly, bitter and resentful. “I still can’t believe the bastard pulled it off. 'The temple project,' his grand ultimate plan. He never shut up about when I was still around. Had that property almost as long as he’s been here, got it even before he I was adopted. Me and Thor used to go there to play when we were kids.”

“Its apparently quite the sight to see.” Tony said, not reminding them they still had an appointment to keep, letting him get through whatever this was.

“Oh, no doubt.” Loki replied. “Wait…did the accident happen here or at the new place?”

“Here. It was being utilized as something of a shelter.” Tony said. “The kid in question was staying there with his parents. From what I understand their suing on the grounds that if the church had the money to erect the new church they’d have money to fix the old one.”

“Well, at least it wasn’t at the new one, that would’ve been a mess.” Loki said, switching the car back into gear and pulling back onto the road.

\---

 “Fuck…me.” Loki said in awe when they arrived to the right place, getting out of the car, gazing up at the massive white building lined with stain glass windows. They'd parked below where it peeked (something of a steeple but not quite) and a great circular one seemed to glare down at them.

“Gaudy.” He was vaguely aware of Tony saying.

“It’s magnificent.” Loki disagreed.

“Isn’t it?” Thor called out, having caught the tail end of their conversation and Loki looked up to see him approaching them, great grin on his face, arms outstretched. He noted that the beard he’d grown in the time he’d last seen him (the past decade that is, not the last week) suited him.

He threw the arms around Loki in a rib crushing hug. “You came!” He exclaimed.

“Yes, well you did insist on it, for whatever reason.” Loki wheezed, a little flustered as Tony walked around the car to join them.

“You must be Loki’s brother Thor.” Tony said, extending a hand.

“Tony Stark, so good to finally meet you.” Thor said, letting go of Loki to shake Tony’s hand. “I see you’re admiring the temple. It’s beautiful isn’t it? Just as father imagined it. A legacy to last generations on. I feel honored that I got the chance to help build it.” Thor said with pride. "...Father hired the construction company I work for." He elaborated.

“You’re in construction? From what Loki’s said I assumed you’d follow in your father’s footsteps and went into religious work.” Tony asked.

“Well, thinking back that could’ve just been what Odin wanted.” Loki said. “I wouldn’t put it past him to push his ideals on other people.”

“Well, perhaps someday…but we all serve God in our own ways. Houses do need to be built after all, as do churches for that matter." Thor said with what looked like it was supposed to be a good natured shrug but came off as awkward. “Anyway, we best go inside. Might as well not keep father waiting.”

\---

As they walked down a hall lined with stain glass window’s to Odin’s office Thor continued his nervous banter.

“…Father insisted we didn’t need you, but luckily I was able to persuade him to at least have a meeting.”

“Despite me, I suppose.” Loki said dryly

 “Well without you I wouldn’t have been able to ask.”

“Is that why you insisted that I come?” Loki asked irritably. “Out of begrudged gratitude?”

 “This is a family matter…I felt that you should be here, given you’re family.” Thor said, sounding almost wounded at the quip.

Loki scoffed, dismissing the answer with a shake of his head. “I don’t think I’ve been part of this family for a while.”

“No matter what’s happened or what will happen I’ll always consider you a brother.” Thor said earnestly.

“…Fair enough.” Loki said simply, not sure how to feel about the kind words and certainly not respond to them. He didn’t like to think about it too much, but over the years he did miss his brother. “Remember when this place was nothing more then a field and that run down house?”

“I do. We weren’t supposed to go in there and yet we still did.” Thor said and Loki chuckled.

“That’s right. Aside from the fact it was falling apart I bet that place was up to the gills with asbestos.”

Thor groaned. “Ugh, yes. I was still sad to see it go though."

“Well It was worth it, it truly is a sight to see now.”

As he found himself somewhat out of the loop Tony watched Loki, his face bathed in colored light. It was one of those moments that took him off guard about how striking his husband was. In this case perhaps it was the taut look on his handsome face, eyes almost hungry as he reached out to run his fingertips along the glass as they walked. Tony suddenly realized what the expression was: Envy.  

Really, after all these years? Tony thought with amusement, but then again looking at this place he had an idea of what Loki meant before about the kind of ‘power’ that came with it.

Loki caught his gaze and looked at him questioningly.

“You alright?” Tony asked quietly.

“Never better, all things considered.” He answered nodding forward. Tony, who’d been too preoccupied with watching Loki, glanced in that direction to see Odin walking towards them.

He wore a a dark casual suit and a stern expression, and to Loki’s surprise he’d gotten rid of the long hair and he’d had for years. A remnant of the 70s, he supposed it had to go eventually. Thankfully he kept his beard, he didn't know how could handle both missing.

“Father, look who I found outside!” Thor jovially joked gestured to them. He didn’t notice the tense look Odin and Loki were making at one another, like a long delayed standoff.

“Yes.” Odin answered, eyes snapping to Tony. “Mr. Stark I presume?”

“Indeed. Usually I send representatives for this stage of the process but given the circumstance I felt it was better to meet in person.”

“And then some.” Odin said, shooting another look at Loki.

“Good to see you too Reverend.” Loki commented dryly.

“I was under the impression you might not be coming.”

“That’s funny, Thor asked me to come.” Loki shot back, slowly looking at his brother. “ _I_ wasn’t under the impression I wasn’t welcome.”

“I said I wasn’t sure if you would.” Thor said uncomfortably.

“If I’m unwanted I can just leave…” Loki said testily, jacking his thumb backwards.

“I have to say, I'd prefer he stay." Tony interjected quickly, looking between him and Odin.

“No…no it’s fine.” Odin insisted. “Please, join me in office.”

“So, Reverend Abraham…” Tony started as they walked.

“Please, just call me Odin.” Odin waved off. “Though it is a good surname name isn’t it?” He said pointedly. “Strong, persevering-”

“Old, dusty, brings to mind the Old Testament: stoning, woman being turned into pillars of salt, the ten plagues, sacrificing sons…” Loki interjected.

“I just find it perplexing, is that a thing with men in your position do that I wasn’t aware of?” Odin criticized.

“Not typically, I was fixin’ to change it anyway. If Tony hadn’t come around when he had I probably would’ve changed it to something else. Besides, given our parting words I assumed you would’ve preferred I distance myself from the family as much as possible.”

“And yet here you are.” Odin said in an airy voice, opening the door to his office, gesturing for them to come in.

“Look, Odin.” Loki said quietly as Tony and Thor sat down. “I know we’ve had some problems in the past, but I was hoping to make up for them. I really wasn’t too keen on coming here at all, but it’s that important to me.”

Odin studied him before saying, “Is that right?”

“You don’t have to trust me…”

“Oh believe me, I don’t.” Odin said curtly, before walking around his desk to sit down too. Sighing, Loki followed suit, glancing around. The office looked much like the one at the old church, namely due to the large tribal mask’s lining the walls from his mission trips in Africa seemed to glower down on them.

“I can’t say how pleased I was to hear you reached out.” Tony started.

“I don’t know how much I like that, ‘reached out’,” Odin said with air quotes. “Makes us sound desperate. Believe me, we aren’t, Thor was just concerned. I will say I it is heartening you accepted despite you’re ah…by proxy estrangement to the family.”

“Oh, well…that’s good to hear.” Tony said as upbeat as he could. He was about to say something but Odin powered on.

 “You know the thing that bothers me the most about this whole thing is how we had to shut down our shelter program at the old church. Between you and me I believe it’s less about the child getting hurt and more about the shelter itself.”

“…I’m sure you aren’t implying the accident was on purpose just to sabotage your establishment, right?” Tony said with concern.

“Of course not. I do suspect those who want to see me shut down are using the accident, but I assure you I wouldn’t voice that opinion publicly if that’s what you were getting at.”

“You read my mind.” Tony said with a smile. “But why, if you don’t mind me asking, why would anyone want to sabotage a shelter?”

“Some people don’t much like shelters, insist it encourages homelessness. Well can those folks come up with an alternative? Perhaps let a few die on the street so the rest get with the program? Ludicrous.” He gestured toward Loki. Tony noticed Thor squirm uncomfortably in his seat, undoubtedly having heard heard this all before. Loki on the other hand just stared ahead cooly. ' _Just try it old man, just try'_ his eyes seemed to scream. Well this should be intresting.

“…This one probably wouldn’t be around if it weren’t for our program, or more especially his birth mother would’ve perished on the street before she had the chance to have him. A troubled woman, but a child of god none the less.”

Loki, unphased by the story, smirked a little. “…I remember when you used to say that unironicly, tales of the troubled Madonna figure and her innocent progeny.” A long slender hand went to his forehead in mock aghast before shooting Odin a withering look. “Not so tragically beautiful anymore is it? Although I do think you never believed it regardless of what I’d done, it was just a pretty story."

Tony laughed nervously. “Alright then. But to defer back to the point, thought the case is a little complicated, one where the opposing party could go home big with even a competent lawyer. Luckily you’ve got the big guns on your side so…” He made a little finger gun motion at Odin. “…You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

 Odin not quite having recovered from what Loki said narrowed his eyes and looking at Tony with scrutiny. “That’s true, although you did marry my delinquent son, so I have to question your judgement.”

“Father-“ Thor chimed in with a disbelieving smile. “I hardly see what relevance that has to this. Mr. Stark has very kindly agreed to help, and sure Loki has done some questionable things in the past but that's ancient history and we have no reason to doubt Tony’s character...”

“We have no reason to believe it.” Odin replied leaning forward again, his gaze on Loki now. “And I’m sorry, but try as I might I can’t help but believe you have an ulterior motive in this whole situation. How am I to know you and your husband aren’t trying to sabotage me under the guise of help? Perhaps swoop in do what you’ve always wanted to do.”

“That’s ridiculous. I don’t want to spend a second more than I have to in this city. I just came to make my peace after all.”

Odin laughed a little, turning back to Tony. “Your married to the man, if that means anything can you honestly say that he’s moved on from his schemes of helming the church I shed sweat and blood to build?”

“I think you’re asking the wrong person, Reverend Abraham.” Stark shot back without hesitation. “My grandfather started Stark and associates, my father took it over from him and I from him, making it the biggest law firm in Chicago. You ask if he still wants to, I counter that with why would that be a bad thing?”

“He wouldn’t do it for the right reasons.” Odin said.

Tony gave a tight little smile before getting up. “Sorry we couldn’t work this out, good luck with your case.”

Loki followed him, shooting Odin a smug look as he did.

Soon after the office door closed Tony started to say something but Loki’s phone chimed, interrupting him.

“…Hold on.” He said, checking it. “I have something I need to do, mind if I take the car?”

“Sure I guess…you having yourself a fling?” Tony joked weakly. "Taking the opportunity of one last randevu with an old beau?"

Loki smiled at that, winking. “With your insatiability? I don’t think I’d have the energy. No I just have to meet an old friend and I'm in a hurry.” He said before hurrying down the hall.

Tony sighed, slowly heading in the same direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...after writing chapter this I realize I didn't get into a specific religion or a denomination of said religion...it's some branch of Pentecostalism. (I'll probably need to settle on something specific eventually.)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fyi: This chapter knocked this fic from a T to M, because I might've indulged in a bit of shower smut at the end.

When Tony and Loki had left Odin rose, walking about contemplatively with his arms clasped behind his back. He did it for long enough that Thor, who felt like he forgot he was still there, and cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Well, that didn’t go so smoothly. But perhaps-“

“What, they can still be persuaded?” Odin quipped. “You saw how your brother was.”

“No disrespect father, you could’ve managed not to bring up…well, you know.”

“I suppose that was callous of me.” Odin admitted.

“He seems to have straightened out, I don’t understand why you’re treating him like he hasn’t changed.”

“Oh I’m not denying that he’s changed. Pray tell though, into what?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Thor demanded.

“It means better doesn’t always mean good.” Odin clarified. “Sure he isn’t a mess anymore, he hasn’t turned into some vagabond junkie willing to pawn off grandma’s Hummel figurines for meth money. Mark my words though, that boy always had a knack for managing to align himself with the wrong sort of people who end up influencing him in all the wrong ways. That Stark fellow was no different.”

“I know you believe he’s the type who will do anything for money, but why does that matter if he wants to help?”

“I don’t think it’s worth it to associate the church with someone like that.” Odin said with a shrug. “And as far as Loki’s concerned, well…” He laughed sadly. “It hurts me to say, but there’s just something in his nature that makes him easily corruptible. I don’t believe it’s his fault, but neither is it the foxes for being blood thirsty. And we don’t let it have free reign in the hen house do we?”

Thor got up with a huff. “I’m going home.” He bluntly stated, and Odin gave a wordless wave of dismissal.

When he went back outside he discovered Tony alone out there, scrolling through his phone with a frown.

“Tony?” Thor called out. “Where’d Loki go?"

He looked up, not bothering feigning friendliness. “…He had something to do.” He said curtly. “He just got this text and bolted out. Who the hell is still in St. Louis that he’d want to see?”

“Our mother for one.” Thor said. “I might’ve passed his number along to her. About what just happened-“

Tony shot him a brief humorless smile. “If you’re gonna try and convince me to still take this case after that fiasco in there I’d save your breath Blondie.”

“I don’t think I could, I wanted to apologize.” Thor said humbly. “I was hopping things would be different after all this time.”

Tony sighed, feeling his resolve softening. “…I guess I was hoping that too.”

“I do appreciate you coming all this way though, perhaps I could treat you to dinner?”

“Shockingly I didn’t have any other plans besides going back to my hotel room and ordering room service, so I guess I’m in.”

Thor grinned, bright and sunny much like the one he wore when he first greeted them. “Grand, we can take my truck!” He said, gesturing to a slightly battered, mud splattered dark red ford pickup.

“…Suppose I should’ve known this was yours.” Tony said he looked at it with dismay as Thor already bounded to the truck. Tony followed, opening the door to see Thor kneeling over the truck’s front bench seat to toss a tool belt, a couple of wrenches, and tube of calking behind it , laughing uncomfortably.

“Sorry…So sorry, work stuff, I always forget.”

“It’s fine, though I do feel out of place.” Tony said as he uncertainly placed his foot on trucks running board and lugged himself up into the seat. “Makes me wish I wore jeans.”

“Not to worry, there isn’t anything on the seats that’ll stain your nice clothes.”

“…You might’ve warned me that might be a possibility after I sat down.” Tony said apprehensively, pulling his seat belt on. “Anyone ever tell you it sounds like you and your brother got your accents, I don’t know, mixed up in the mail or something?”

“I’m sure Loki told you he was adopted when he was four correct?” Thor said as he started up the truck, pulling out.

“He did, and he mentioned you having an accent but I didn't realize it was that strong."

“I moved here when I was almost eight, and the accent stuck, never really tried to lose it. I suppose that's because I wanted to sound like father did. Where do you want to eat?”

“Dealer’s choice.” Tony said apprehensively. “You know the area.”

“Bar it is then.” Thor said with a shrug as he started the truck and backed out into the road. “I know a place that makes fantastic burgers.”

"So were you born before or after your parent's missionary work?" Tony asked.

“As a matter of fact I was born during it, while they were in Uganda. I did spend a good portion of time living with relatives back in the UK given my parents concern for my well-being.”

“I’d guess that’s why your father wanted to settle down.” Tony said.

“He wanted to do that anyway, but I believe it was part of his motivation yes. He had associates in St. Louis he met during his missionary work, that’s why he chose this city.”

\---

Later at the bar Tony watched with amusement as Thor devoured a plate of tacos. He had to admit the sunshiny bastard was starting to grow on him.

‘Oh that’s right!’ he’d jovially said when the waitress brought up the taco combo special they had on that particular day. Tony ended up getting the burger Thor had recommended, which sounded like it would hit the spot after the day he’d had.

Thor gradually eating with less gusto and looking deep in thought, suddenly asked: “I’ve been wondering, how exactly did you meet my brother?”

Tony scoffed at that, “…Exactly how you would imagine, suit shop. Not the one he’s at now mind you, but a suit shop. About a year after he got out of prison.”

“Was he…did he look well?” Thor asked uncomfortably.

“He looked...I don’t know, a little rough around the edges. A little older then he really was.” Tony said. “Not too worse for wear though, charming as all hell despite everything. Well…” Tony relented. “I found him charming, I suppose some would find him abrasive."

“I’ve missed him…I suppose I could’ve visited him more though.” Thor admitted. “I only saw him one time, but it scared the hell out of me. I couldn’t stand to see him like that so I didn’t come back.”

“Imagine how he felt.” Tony said, giving Thor a withering look when Thor was taken aback by that. “What, you expect me to agree with you? Say its okay, that I understand?”

“I suppose not.” Thor said, shaking his head. “I justified it with little things, being busy with work or the church, but I could’ve visited. I was relieved when I heard he was transferred to a prison in Illinois about two years in.”

“How’d you know?”

“He had friends he kept in touch with.”

Tony grimly asked: “…One of these friends, did he belong to a uh…a Thanos family by any chance?”

“Yes, how’d you know?” Thor said in surprise.

“…Just a hunch.” Tony said simply. He didn’t want to get into it, but the Thanos family was a good part of the reason Loki had gone to jail in the first place. Not that Loki ever talked about it a lot, but he had mentioned that’s how he’d got his job when he was fresh out of prison, the one before Ebony and Ivory. _‘I took the blame for the head guy’s kid, he was a friend of mine at the time, the kid I mean. They said they’d take care of me after and well…they did keep their word_.’ He remembered Loki explaining.

_\---_

**Five years ago, Chicago**

Loki looked up wearily at the sound of arguing in the backroom, beyond the fitting and supply room. He took an uneasy breath, griping the counter, swallowing hard. There was a mirror across from him when he looked up he saw the face of a man who’d been fighting to stay sane and safe for a good while, and frowned.  He still hadn’t decided if slicking back his short hair straight back helped or negated his somewhat harrowing appearance, but never the less he stepped to the right so the mirror in wasn’t in his line of vision.

‘ _You take the fall and we’ll take care of you_.’ They’d said. ‘ _Besides, they’ll go easy on you because this is your first strike. You’ll get a few years, tops.’_

He thought about that a lot, he’d gotten through his time, which ended up being closer to four years, wasting a good chunk of his twenties in prison and yet here he was working for the folks who put him away in the first place. But what else could he do?

Fortunately at the very least had connections somewhere besides his home city, he didn’t know if he could bear showing his face there again.

He sighed, resuming filling out an order form when the bell on the door chimed. A well dressed fresh faced fella who looked to be about five years older then him, looking confused as if he didn't know how he got there.

“Can I help you sir?” Loki said.

“Yeah I uh…” He flashed perfectly straight white teeth, lifting his wrist to display his cuff of his suit jacket. “I lost a button, I was hoping to get a replacement here because I don’t have time to go to my normal place.”

“Of course, give me your jacket and I’ll try and find you a match.”

He expected him to wait for him in the main room, but he followed him back to the supply room where Loki was riffling through drawers full of loose buttons categorized by color until he found a match. Occasionally Loki would steal a suspicious glance at him before casually commenting: “You from around here? You look familiar.”

“Not here specifically,” He said, pointing down, referring to Loki’s part of the city, frowning a bit before relenting: “Not usually anyway.”

 “Doubt I would’ve crossed paths with the likes of you.” Loki said with a shrug, studying him for a second. “You look like some kind of lawyer, maybe I saw you on tv, the news or something.” Loki had a bit of an accent, hardly noticeable but there was a definite Midwestern twang there, the kind that sounded like it almost wanted to be southern but fell short.

“…Maybe.” The man said, feigning a smile, as if Loki had said something that revealed who he really was. It brought a great divide between them slamming down, making him feel like trash, and suddenly It didn’t matter how cute the man was or how pretty the his eyes were.

“You are a lawyer though then.” Loki said, voice harder.

“What’s wrong with being a lawyer?” He asked, taken aback.

“Nothing, as long as you have money.” Loki said.

“Oof, I can’t help but sense a bit of grudge there…” He leaned in to see his name tag. “Loni.”

“Suppose I got that from my father.” He found the right button and sat down at a work station to sew it on. “He always said the only thing worse than criminals were the lawyer’s that represent them. That they just stood to make a profit off misguided men and misguiding men.”

“Is that so?” The man said, a funny little smile curling on his lips and Loki had to fight not being charmed by. “Worst then criminals?”

“He didn’t exactly believe in criminals, only in corruption. That every man is ultimately pure and can be brought back to the light. Some just…veer off the path easier.” He said as he snipped off a bit of thread.

The man frowned at that and Loki looked at his quizzically as he stood walking back to the front desk. “What?”

“Naw, it’s nothing. That’s just very…specific. So he didn’t believe in prisons, repercussions?”

Loki laughed at that, ringing him up. “God no, he thought a little time, or a lot of time in some cases, could straighten someone out.” He looked up with a professional smile. “That’ll be three fifty.”

He handed him a five. “Unfortunately not exactly how it usually works.”

Loki grimaced. “Unfortunately not, no.”

He tried to hand him his change but the man waved it off. “Keep it, it's a tip.”

“How generous of you lawyer man.” Loki said with a hint of sarcasm, and the man laughed.

“It’s Tony actually, Tony Stark. And it’s been…interesting to say the least.” He said before he finally left.

He assumed that’d be the last he'd see of him, but Tony showed up again the very next week. “I have a four o’clock fitting?” he said with a cheeky little smile that Loki had to force himself from glaring at him.

“You know I’ve only worked here a little over a year, it’s a little odd that you’d ask for me rather than the more experienced fellow we have here. Especially with a suits as nice yours, I’m bound to mess it up.”

“They did say a discount is offered for work done by those apprenticing, such as yourself.” Tony said innocently. “Who doesn’t love discount?”

Loki stared him down for a moment before throwing up his hands, gesturing for him to follow him to the fitting room. “If you insist, it’s your funeral.”

Once Tony had changed into the suit in question (he’d come in jeans and a t-shirt) he started working on him.

“I’ve been working out lately, was hoping to show it off.” Tony said. “Maybe take thing in a bit, especially around here?” he said, gesturing to his hips and midsection.

“Well I’ll do my best.” Loki said.

“I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

"I was originally supposed to  do this you know..." Loki continued. "But I took an interest, discovered it was something I actually enjoyed doing. Creating, fixing, there's something liberating about it. Helps me forget-" He trailed off, laughing uncomfortably. "Well, it helps me forget."

“This may be out of place but I hazard a guess you’re too good to work here.” Tony said solomnly.

“Well you’re defiantly too good to patronize this place.” Loki countered. “Speaking of which, why’d you come back here instead of where ever you usually go?”

He didn’t say anything for a moment, and Loki thought he wasn’t going to answer when he said: “…I was think about what your father said. It sounded weirdly familiar to me, so I thought I’d look it up.”

“Oh? And what’d you find out?”

“It was from a case I heard about, maybe six years ago when I just got into college. Some Missouri pastor’s son got stuck with possession charges and he ended up going on a few news shows talking about.”

“God damn Jesus whore!” He muttered angrily, before pulling himself together, shifting to Tony’s other side. “Of course he did. No doubt drumming up publicity for his church.”

“…I guess that answers the question whether or not you’re his son Loki Abraham, and not uh…Loni.”

“Adopted and estranged, but yes.” He replied. “…the tag was a misprinted.”

“Well I’m sorry about that, the arrest, the unfortunate family situation.” Tony said. “Tough shit.”

“It is what is, but thank you.” Loki said with shrug.

“I told you you were too good for this place.” Tony said with a smirk.

“Maybe at one point I was, before the drug charges and the jail time, but now I’m essentially damaged goods.” He said as he straightened up, briefly placing a hand on Tony’s shoulder, locking eye’s with Tony as they both looked into the full length mirror before pulling away. “…I think we’re done here.”

He came back yet again for the suit a little over a week later around midday, this time in another suit no doubt dropping by from work.

“Your back.” Loki said.

“No need to sound so surprised.” Tony said. “I was told it was ready.”

“It's just, I figured you’d have us send it, or you’d have an intern pick it up.”

“I like to try it on before I pay, see how I like it.” He said. “I’m sure it’s fine but…”

“Of course, go ahead.” Loki said, retrieving the suit.

As he went to the fitting room he glanced over his shoulder for Loki to follow, which he did. Admittedly he wanted to see his reaction, pleased with how it had turned out. He closed the curtains behind them, leaning against a wall, averting his gaze as Tony undressed, or more specifically trying not to stare.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about that thing with you Dad, so I might’ve looked into your case history. Hope you didn’t mind.” Tony said. Loki glanced over at him, he’d taken off his suit and was down to his shirt, boxer briefs and those funny little thigh garters that kept shirts tucked in. He caught Loki’s eye, and raised a brow.

“I’ve got nothing to hide.” Loki said looking away again with a scoff, hooking his thumbs into his pockets as Tony pulled on the altered trousers.

“I was a little surprised to learn your family couldn’t get you a better lawyer then you had.”

“More like wouldn’t, my family was done with me at that point. It wasn’t exactly the first time I’d gotten in trouble, though it never was that bad.”

“Have you talked to them since?”

“I doubt they’d want to talk to me.”

“Well they should be happy, you aren’t exactly doing that bad.” Tony said, buttoning up the vest now.

“Yes, but for how long?” Loki said with a scoff. “Better just to stay away, not get their hopes up.”

“…Well that’s their god damn problem isn’t it?” Tony said. “Frankly I’d be pissed if my pop didn’t stick up for me in that sort of situation.”

“He thought it was for the best.” Loki said stiffly. “Thought it would straighten me out. He wasn’t exactly wrong, it did.”

“So you mentioned. Honestly I think he was just watching his own ass.” Tony dismissed. “A piller of the community, undoubtedly unwilling to let you tarnish his appearance. The fact that you happened to get out of it a better man is merely happenstance.”

“Perhaps.” Loki said with little conviction. Tony was about speak again but the phone rang and Loki ran to get it.

Later as Tony was paying up, wearing the altered suit with the one he’d arrived in in the garment bag over his arm, he commented: “You do a good job, especially for someone who’s just an apprentice.”

“The main fella here does say I have potential.” Loki said with a smile.

“Maybe I should come back then.” Tony said, and Loki’s smile faded.

“Listen, I’m not sure what your deal with me is. But I think I have a good idea, and well…I’ve been through that shit before and it never works out well.”

“What never works out?” Tony said innocently.

“You know what I’m talking about.” Loki said. “And I think you’re a decent looking dude so it pains me to say this: we ain’t cut from the same cloth, I’m a lowly bastard and you’re some rich punk who probably just passed the bar exam a few years ago who’s probably gonna make it big soon enough. And I’m sure it’d be alright for a while but it would inevitably fall apart. Probably ending badly for both of us, at the very least me. So thanks but no thanks.”

Tony shook his head, laughing in disbelief, and Loki frowned, looking at him suspiciously. “What?” He demanded.

“You’re intuitive, but you ought to put that pessimism in check, it throws you way off base. Because you wanna know a secret? I had a bit of a bad start myself.”

“Oh what, you dabbled in some drugs? Had a couple of lines at a party before you went off to college? Please.” Loki said dismissively.

“Oh no, I was a god damn mess.” Tony said seriously. “Got arrested a couple of times even. Only difference between you and me is my daddy protected his image by covering it up instead of turning me into some kind of fucked up lesson in morality.”

“What are you getting at?” Loki snapped.

“I’m just saying I meant it when I said I think you’re better than a place like this, that you can rise above it.”

 “I appreciate your concern but I can’t just _leave,_ this job is part of my parole, and it’s not like I can just get another one-“

“Buddy, lawyer here remember? I know how this shit works.” Tony said with a shrug. “…I’ll get you lined up with something. In fact my normal suit place is hiring. And if that doesn’t work we’ll figure something out. All I’m saying…I guess I see some kind of kindred spirit with you, and I’d be kicking myself if I didn’t try and help.”

“Well I’d be a fool to turn that down, but I gotta say…you’ll probably be kicking yourself either way then.”

Tony sighed helplessly. “I don’t know you very well, but I can’t help but feel you don’t give yourself enough credit.” He handed him a business card. “Call them alright? I already put in a good word for you. It’s small position but it’s a start.”

“Alright, you got me, I will.” Loki said with a helpless laugh.

\---

**Present Day, St. Louis**

“…So you got him the job he has now?” Thor asked in awe.

“What lead to it eventually, yes.” Tony said with a smirk. “I liked the work he did but when he got out of the slammer he landed in this dump in a bad part of Chicago I wouldn’t be caught dead in. So I tell him: ‘I know a nice place that’s hiring, you should apply for it. I’ll put in a good word for you.’”

“You’re most commendable.” Thor said, sounding pleased.

“It was purely self-serving.” Tony said.

“You’re an honorable man, and I’m proud to have you as a brother.” Thor insisted, not bothering to add the ‘in law.’

When they went their separate ways Tony got back to the hotel to discover Loki had gotten there before him.  The TV was on, warbling away while Loki showered. Tony smiled a little, quickly shimmying of his clothes. The last thing he took off was his wedding ring, which he twisted off his finger and set it next to Loki’s, like his but onyx.

He stepped in the shower, coming up from behind, noting the way the water slid over Loki’s lean but muscular body, skin almost looking iridescent in the low light. He wrapped his arms around him, kissing between his shoulder blades before tiredly resting his forehead there.

Laughter suddenly reverberated through Loki’s body. “I feel that.” He playfully said.

“I can’t help it, you’re just so god damn gorgeous.” Tony murmured.

“Hey, you ain’t so bad yourself.” Loki answered.

“So how’d it go with your mom?”

“How did you-“

“Thor told me, figured that’s where you ran off to. Leaving me stranded, which I don’t appreciate by the way.”

“Sorry about that.” Loki said. “I was in a hurry.”

“It’s alright, given the circumstances. Your brother kept me company.” Tony said, prodding Loki aside so he could get some water.

“Is that right? Should I be jealous?” He teased.

“Please, he drives a pickup. I have standards.” Tony shot back as he took the soap from Loki and lathered up.

“You’re a bigger man them me, I once dated a gal who drove a pickup.”

Tony chuckled, moving to embrace him so they were chest to chest. “Oh? When was this?”

“A thousand years ago…might as well be anyway.” Loki said.

“A lifetime ago.” Tony countered.

“Exactly.” Loki agreed with a little laugh. “Everything feels so different now…or at least I do.”

There was a sadness in his eyes, almost grieving something lost and Tony looked up at him with sympathetic eyes, reaching up to stroke the back of his head. He hated seeing him like this, but damn if he hoped he could be there for him every time he was.

“Everything go alright with your mom?” Tony asked again, realizing Loki hadn't answered the question.

He laughed bitterly at that, shaking his head. “Not really, it started out alright but uh…sorta went south.”

“It’s just bad timing, especially after the meeting.” He said as he pressed his lips along his jaw, beard brushing against his skin in a way that he knew Loki loved. “I mean, wouldn’t it?”

Loki smiled with a sad fondness, running his fingers through Tony’s hair. “Something like that.”

His voice was low and seemed to fade into the sound of the shower but based on his tone Tony got the impression he wasn’t too convinced by Tony’s argument. That was fine, they could talk about it later, but in the mean time he could comfort him in other ways. He mouthed his neck, careful to not be too hard…at least not until he got low enough where Loki could cover it up.

Loki hummed in approval as Tony sucked on his collar bone, teasing with teeth. He wrapped an arm around him, fingers digging into Tony’s shoulder as he brought him closer so there was little left to the imagination between their wet bodies, grinding against him, earning a surprised grunt of pleasure.

A grin spread across his face and he moved to catch his lips with his own, kissing him deep, slow at first but devolving into something open mouthed and greedy. Tony moaned obscenely into the kiss, reaching between them so he could hold his hardness against Loki’s.

They moved against each other, gasping and eventually coming in the downpour of the shower, and for a moment they weren’t in some strange hotel room in a city Loki had once admittedly loved though now felt depressingly foreign to him, but home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not the end btw, still more to come!
> 
> Don't know if I hadn't seen Infinity War while I was working on this the 'mob boss Thanos' thing would've happened, but it seemed fitting. (I doubt it's something that'll be more then backstory btw)
> 
> Edit: holy shit...why was I writing 'Thanos' as 'Manos'? Why?


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flashback chapter because wanted to do more Tony/Loki backstory. Includes accidental Bucky Barnes cameo (By 'accidental' I mean I was jolting out the draft, he happened, and I decided to keep him in)

**Six months after Loki and Tony meet, Chicago**

Luckily Tony hadn’t bit off more than he could chew saying he’d get Loki a job at ‘Ebony and Ivory’, one of his favorite suit shops. He was a charming bastard and folks there ended up liking him, so he didn’t have to scramble to find him something else.

But he wasn’t there when he came in, and Tony couldn’t help but worry he’d already lost the job. The man behind the counter looked up as he was peering around in befuddlement.

“Mr.Stark, I haven't seen you in a while. Don’t tell me you’ve been taking your business elsewhere.”

“Nothing that you guys did, I assure you…is Loki here?” Tony replied.

“No sir, he’s out on lunch.” The man said. “Good call with that on, he has promising talent and the customers love him.”

“No doubt…When he does come in, could you tell him to stop screening my calls why don’t you?” He said before leaving.

He was about to get back into his car before his cellphone rang, and Tony huffed with annoyance when he saw who it was. “I thought you weren’t in.” He said when he answered.

“I’m not, look across the street.”

He looked and Loki lifted a hand in greeting. “Was just coming back from lunch break when I got a call about you looking for me.”

“Something like that.” Tony said.

“What do you want, Tony? We’ve said everything that needs to be said about us. About you, about me, at the end of the day it's just as I feared we just aren’t cut from the same cloth.”

Tony snorted. “Are you serious? I thought thing were going alright.”

“Sure, I’m apparently just the guy you go to when you need a fuck or someone to make you feel better about yourself so you can pretend you’re not a greedy lawyer whose got a bunch of wadded up hundreds where your soul should be.”

“Don’t be so dramatic…I said I just wanted to have fun and didn’t want to over complicate things.” Tony said defensively, and Loki scoffed.

“Seriously? You can’t hear yourself?” He snapped.

“Whatever, this isn’t about that. I’m in a pickle and there’s money involved if you help.”

“What is it?”

Tony tusked in frustration. “…Can you cross the street to talk? I think we’re starting to get looks.”

Loki sat down on a nearby bus bench. “If you want to talk to me so bad why don’t you come here?”

“Alright, look see? I’m crossing the street.” Tony said as he walked into the street. An incoming car screeched to a stop and blared its horn, and he held up his arms and mouthed an apology, before sprinting the rest of the way.

“Jesus Tony!” Loki said in horror as he put his phone down. “I know you were raised in an ivory tower but I would think you could at least manage to be an adequate pedestrian.”

“I didn’t see it, he just came the hell out of nowhere.” Tony said with exasperation as he plunked himself next to Loki. “And you might've been in jail for four years and haven’t exactly been well off the last one and a half but you didn’t exactly come from humble beginnings yourself.”

“Humble compared to the likes of you.” Loki countered. “So what ‘pickle’ did you get yourself into?”

“You remember that client I had when we were…well I guess you could call it dating?”

“How am I supposed to remember some random client?” Loki said as he lit a cigarette.

“You remember this one.” Tony said uneasily. Loki looked at him with a raised brow.

“Are you talking about the nosy homophobe, a bookstore owner or something like that? The case I fucked up…so to speak…because I was in the wrong place and time and didn’t let you just call me a friend like you tried to because you're a closety classist asshole?”

“Well it’s less of a bookstore and more of bookstore empire, but yes that’s the one…and it turns out you didn’t fuck it up as much as I thought. Not that that makes it right though, you got lucky. For all I know-“

“God forbid you pass up the chance to drive it into the ground I was wrong.” Loki griped. “I thought you needed my help.”

“Well, back to what I was saying: He wasn’t a homophobe, turns out he was just curious because his nephew recently came out.”

“Well good for Mr.’Barnes and Noble’, what the hell does that have to do with me?”

“He was so jazzed about having lawyer who was ‘like his son’ and invited the two of us to dinner with him and his nephew tomorrow night...and asked if I minded bringing you along...and I might've said yes."

“Oh fuck me, why'd you do that? It's been months since we stopped messing around. Hell you dated that one model since me. Doesn't he know about that?” Loki huffed with annoyance. "It feels like everyone knows about _that."_

“Don't be jealous, I had nothing to do with that, she was just famous. She's been in Vogue."

"She was your date for that one black tie charity event." Loki countered. "Yeah, I saw that. Made me feel like god damn Cinderella. In the bad sense."

"Well as far as Mr.Barne's concerned he’s an old fogy who doesn’t pay attention to the tabloids. Besides, if he did hear about it we can…I don’t know, cross that bridge when we come to it.”

“So how much?” Loki asked.

“A hundred an hour?” Tony said.

“To do this? Two hundred.”

“…One fifty, plus you’re gonna a free meal at the Blue Swan.”

“Two hundred, firm. And I can get a free meal at the Blue Swan anywhere I want anytime. I get asked on classy dates all the time.”

“Yeah, because of the job I got you.” Tony said. “Come to think of it you owe me a favor for that.”

“I don’t owe you shit. What, put me in a suit and all the big shots don't know where I came from? But you, you know better don't you?" Loki snarled.

"That's not what I said, your putting words in my mouth goddammit!" Tony snapped in frustration.

 “Whatever. it’s two hundred or figure out how to tell your book mogul buddy  why you’re winging it solo.” Loki said

Tony sighed. “…Fine. Two hundred, but just this once.”

“Yeah, your damn right it’s just this once, I’ve got better things to do then be rented out like a god damn prom tux. Text me the times alright? I gotta bounce.” Loki said as he stood, walking toward the nearest crosswalk, and Tony sighed as he watched him go, before standing up and walking back to his car.

\---

“-So that’s how Amazon is damaging the publishing industry beyond repair.” Mr.Barnes said. He was a large, almost overwhelming man, though he was alright once you got to know him. Just him and the two of them had just been seated, the nephew having not arrived yet. 'He'll be here shortly enough' Mr.Barnes had insisted.

“They're like Walmart. Or honey bees.” Loki chimed in. “Killing everything else and making us dependent on them.”

Mr.Barnes, mid drink when Loki said that, coughed on his water. “What was that about bees?”

"Yeah, apparently they're an invasive species, in some cases displacing native species mucking up the natural order of things." Loki elaborated.

“Oh look, it’s your nephew, James.” Tony said with a quickly as ‘James’ walked towards the table.

“Please Tony, I told you to call me Bucky.” He said as he took a seat.

“Right, Bucky.” Tony said.

“Bucky this is that fella I was telling you about, the plucky guy who used to to date this one.”

“Excuse me? Used to?” Tony asked, and Loki chuckled.

“…It appears there’s been a miscommunication.”  Loki murmured to Tony with amusement.

“I’m sorry I suppose there has, I was talking to Bucky about you and he mentioned you recently having a fling with some socialite.”  

“Yes, that was true.” Tony said carefully, looking at Loki and praying he could read his mind when he thought _holy shit we could get out of this._

But apparently Loki couldn’t read his mind, or perhaps he could based on the glint in his eye before he spoke again. “That’s right. We thought we’d take a break but uh…that didn’t exactly work out. He showed up on my doorstep one night, telling me he wanted to get back together, how he couldn’t live without me. It was very romantic."

“So you got back together, just like that?” Mr.Barnes asked in fascination.

“Well it took a little more convincing than that, I do have standards being the son of a missionary turned preacher. But we did.”

“That gives you standards?” Bucky asked with amusement. "No offense, you just seem like the 'strayed from the righteous path' type."

“The general moral structure I mean. And you're not wrong,I suppose I did stray. Funny, at one point all I wanted to do was take my fathers place when he stepped down...” He smiled at Tony, reaching for his hand. “…It’s funny how you don’t always end up where you thought you would.”

Tony had to physically stop himself from digging his fingernails into Loki’s hand. “…Boy howdy if that ain’t the truth.”

\---

A few nights later Loki was attempting to read a book in his shit apartment when there was a knock on the door.

“Whoever it is, fuck off, it’s nine at night.” He called out.

“It’s me.” Tony’s muffed voice came through the door.

“What…oh you’ve got to me kidding me.” Loki said as he got up, opening the door to Tony standing there with an surly expression on his face.

“Christ Tony, you know I wasn’t serious with that romcom bullshit.”

“Very funny.” Tony snapped. “I just wanted to let you know you’re looking at the new legal representation for Barnes and Noble.”

“Is that right?” Loki said tiredly. “Please come in, excuse the…general mediocrity.”

“Unless I’m mistaken you deserve partial credit for it. Mr. Barnes was very charmed by your performance. Turns out he's a big romantic sap, been married thirty years and it 'touched' him.”

“Is that so? Well a celebration is in order. I’d offer you champagne, but I’m afraid I’m fresh out right now.”

“Why’d you have to do it asshole?” Tony said with exasperation. “We had an out, why’d you have to pull me back in? Was that on purpose?”

“I liked the idea of you having to tell Mr.Barne’s we’d broken up. It wasn’t my fault he knew we’d done it before.” He said as he opened to fridge, holding out a beer. “Old Style?”

“Sure, why the fuck not.” Tony said, accepting the bottle after Loki popped the lid off. “But why? You probably could’ve had a shot with that other guy, Bucky, I’m pretty sure it was a set up. He's cute.”

“I guess…though it’s funner to mess with you, not to mention you’re better looking.” Loki said, taking a swig of his own beer as he walked towards the window, gazing out it sullenly with his back turned to Tony.

“…You still like me don’t you?” Tony realized with pleasant surprise.

“I said no such thing.” Loki said. “You’re still a jerk, even if you’re an attractive jerk.”

“Maybe so, but at least I’m in good company.” Tony said, before repeating:  “You still like me.”

“There’s some aspect of like, but it’s been tainted.” Loki said. “I broke up with you for a reason, I have more pride then being treated like shameful hoodrat side fuck.”

He sounded wounded, prompting Tony to walk into Loki’s line of vision. He leaned against the bookcase next to the window, giving him a sympathetic look. “Well it doesn’t have to be like that.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Loki asked skeptically.

“I was just thinking…a fresh start wouldn’t be so bad, one where I could have you on my arm rather then a number on my phone I’d just call for a good time.”

“And what made you think that?” Loki said. “The other night? You were only just storming in about how you didn’t like what I did.”

“I didn’t storm, you let me in.” Tony said, stepping closer. Loki looked at him, involuntarily laughing.

“…You know what I mean.” Loki replied.

“Maybe, but it did remind me of what first atracted you to me: you are indeed a god damn charming bastard.” Tony said quietly, gathering Loki loosely in his arms, and though Loki looked apprehensive he let him. “I need a guy like you in my corner. Someone who can think on their feet and look pretty on my arm, not to mention someone whose just as much of a hotheaded narcissist as me because…I don’t like feeling bad about it, I’m good at my job and I refuse to be humble.”

“My life is a mess Tony, you don't want someone like me around.” Loki said heavily, glancing at apartment. “Did you take a good look at the apartment?”

“It’s like the saying goes, you’ve got champagne tastes on a uh..." he gestured with the Old Style he was still holding before putting it down,"...Beer budget. I could help alleviate that, I mean unless your too prideful for that-“

Loki tusked. “Please, in that regard pride is overrated.”

"So you've got no problem with me taking care of you?" Tony said with a smirk, reaching up to push back a lock of Loki's hair. He was growing it out, Tony made a note to tell him how much he liked it later on. "...I could take damn good care of you."

"Don't I know it." Loki said with amusement, leaning in to kiss him, and Tony kissed back, humming contentedly as his arms tightened around him.

“I guess sentimental romcom clichés work on you after all.” Tony couldn't resist murmuring, earning a him a playful whap on ass from Loki.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will get back to the normal plot next chapter


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Put off working on this in favor of working on some of my other ongoing fics, thought it was time for an update. (bit of a 'warm up' but update all the same)

It was morning, he was still in St. Louis, though not for long. Soon they’d be able to leave this god damn city behind.

But Loki wasn’t very mindful of that. He wasn’t very mindful of much of anything at the moment, in a state between sleeping and waking where there was nothing but warmth and comfort, a moment you found yourself wishing you could stay in forever. A state where he wasn’t focus on anything but dozing and maybe the other body in bed with him radiating warmth from behind, the deep beautiful vibration of a drowsy hum as they shifted closer.

Tony slung an arm over his side as he burrowed his face into his shoulder, a familiar hardness in the small of his back reminding his sleep fogged brain of other things.

Unfortunately, or fortunately given how one looked at it, he didn’t have time to fully comprehend those things since his alarm went off.

He reached for his phone, muttering an obscenity before pulling away despite Tony’s protests.

“What are you doing, we don’t need to get up for another hour.” Tony whined, staring sleepily at his partner’s ass as he gathered up his previously laid out clothes, draping them over his arm. Loki caught him looking and grinned.

“See something you like?” He said.

“…Yes but I prefer it back under the covers with me.”

“Well I prefer it back in Chicago, and yet here we are.” Loki said as he disappeared into the bathroom.

“And why are you getting up now, pray tell?” Tony grumbled rolling on his back, chest bared as he closed his eyes again.

“You don’t remember? The text from my mom last night?” he called from the bathroom.

“Oh yeah, she wanted to uh…make up for yesterday…” Tony said, trailing off tiredly.

“And you said I should.” Loki replied, voice cutting through the fog enough for him to respond.

“Mmm, I know, you probably should.” He mumbled. He must’ve drifted off because the next moment there was the hot gurgling sound from the bathroom of a coffee maker and Loki was rounding the corner, putting some things away. He was wearing a casual ensemble of a grey vest and slacks over a white shirt rolled up to the elbows.

“…I take it back, you look better like that.” Tony said, earning a mischievous look from Loki.

“Better?” He said.

“Well, it’s the next best thing.” Tony said, and Loki grinned, going to the bed and leaning over Tony to give him a smooch, which Tony took advantage of by hooking his arm around his slender waist and pulling him close to deepen the kiss eliciting a muffled cry of delighted surprise from Loki. He couldn’t resist going along with it, grinding down against him, who, after a moment longer of running his hands along Loki's body,savoring the feeling of fine fabric over the other man's form before pushing him away.

“Why don’t you stop being a cocktease and go down see your mother?”

“Probably a good idea.” Loki said begrudgingly, and gave him a final peck before rising. “…. I put some coffee on, will be back in under an hour.”

“Alright, love you babe.” Tony said, squinting up at him with a sleepy grin.

“Love you too.” Loki said, shooting a smirk back at him before leaving.

\--

His mother wanted to meet at a place a block from the hotel, which suited him just fine. He never much cared for hotel coffee shops, like hotel rooms they were fine but they could never be like the real thing.

He gazed at the city he’d vowed he wouldn’t set foot in again, breathing air that brought back memories he thought he’s long since left behind.

“Laufey?” A man almost drunkenly asked, and Loki turned to a face that looked like beaten dough left out in the sun.

“Pardon?” Loki answered, curbing whatever disgust he felt.

“Oh sorry, I thought you were an old friend of mine.” The man said sheepishly. “Haven't seen him for years as it is, don’t know why I thought that.”

 _The old bastard probably died ages ago._ “…I’m not even from around here.” He said carefully before turning on his heal, barely able to hear second apology the man gave over the ring of sudden panic in his ears.

His mother was already in the coffee shop when he arrived, standing when he walked over.

“Darling! You look like you just saw a ghost.” She comment as they embraced.

“More of ghoul I’d say.” Loki retorted. “How long have you been here?”

“Not too long, I didn’t even order yet. What do you want? I'm buying.”

“Oh Ma, you don’t need to do that…”

“I insist. My treat after last night’s catastrophe.”

“I’ll have a vanilla cappuccino, small.” He relented, knowing it would just sully the mood again to argue. "Thanks."

“You look good son, very sharp.” She said, affectionately reaching up to gently tug on of the points of his open collar as they sat with their drinks shortly after and he smiled.

“My husband said the same thing just before I left the hotel.” He said pridefully, taking a sip of his coffee.

“You enjoy calling him that don’t you? You kept doing it during dinner.” She observed and he smiled bashfully.

“I supposed I do.”

“That’s good, it…relieves me to know your happy.” She reached for his hand, giving it a quick squeeze.

“Oh, I don’t know, I just could be proud of marrying someone of status.” Loki countered. “and for a ridiculous amount of money at that.”

“Your happy, I can tell.” She insisted. “Though I’m sure the money doesn’t hurt.”

“Not particularly no…But It’s been good. We had a rocky start but eventually we came to something of an understanding. Were you really worried about me?” The question had sharp edges, tumbling out of him in almost an accusatory way, and he quickly added: “I mean, it’s a better gig then dealing drugs, or worse.”

“Oh I know, but I was concerned about exactly that. Your past would’ve limited your options and you would’ve felt the need to put yourself in an unhappy situation just to be safe.”

“…I don’t know where I’d be if it hadn’t been for Tony, but I assure you he isn’t some asshole just using me for arm candy. I mean, he does do the later, but of course I don't mind that.” He added with a grin. "Love looking good for my man."

“So you always look this sharp then?” She asked.

“This is actually rather casual for me, which is funny because I feel almost overdressed today. Like a drug dealer, or a pimp.” The last part was suppose to be joke but came out heavier then intended.

“Something just happened didn’t it?” She said with concern, and he breathed out shakily, a flood of emotion breaking through. He fucking hated that, the reaction not the concern that is. He wasn't entirely comfortable with it in the privacy of his own home with Tony, let alone her in a public place.

Thankfully he was able to collect himself quick enough in this case. “…When I was walking here a man recognized me, though recognized is not quite the word. He thought I was my father, the one of flesh and blood and not the one who raised me only to turn his back-“ He caught the warning look his mother gave him and faultered. “…Sorry.”

“I’m sure your being paranoid.”

“He said Laufey.” Loki hissed. “There’s no mistaking who he was mistaking me for.”

“Oh…” She said with astonishment, not sure how to respond to that. “I heard rumor awhile back he died. It's strange that I would, I know but-"

"Not strange at all, you've been there for all those years I assume that sort of thing would have a trickle up affect."

"I suppose it would."

“Given all the other rumors I’ve heard about him I wouldn’t be surprised.” Loki said, shaking his head.

“Your more then your blood, you know that son?” She said encouragingly, wearing a bittersweet expression that made part of ache, Christ he'd been away for too long. “You might’ve gone down a bad path at first which you have no one to blame for but yourself, but you’re a good man, so much like the man who raised you.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” He quipped, and she chuckled.

“My point exactly. Your both stubborn asses but your resilient. Diplomatic, proud...a little too proud sometimes.”

“I suppose I did want to be just like him, but as we both know that didn’t exactly work out.” He said somberly. “…How was he last night after we parted? You told him we met didn’t you? I don’t like being someones dirty little secret. It’s like what I told Tony when we started dating…” He laughed uncomfortably. “Well, we don’t need to get into that, but I’m sure you can imagine what I mean.”

“No, I told him. I told him about this too, it was his idea actually.”

“Was it?” Loki asked in surprise.

“When he heard it didn’t go well, yes. You know he can be reasonable sometimes.”

“Yes, that sounds just like him. Tell me, did he have some sort of personality altering stroke since I last saw him?”

She gave him a look. “Specifically he said we should have a decent visit before you left for good again.”

Loki scoffed. “See? there it is, there’s sparkling personality I know and love to hate.”

She smiled, wincing a bit. “…I hope you prove him wrong and come back to visit.”

“Of course, if only to spite the old bastard. Not to mention you haven’t met Tony.”

“That’s right, I haven't.” She said in regretfully relization.

“I would’ve dragged him down with me today, but it was last minute and he isn’t always a morning person.”

“Next time.” She insisted with a warm smile.

They talked for awhile longer, embracing and saying there goodbyes before parting.

Loki made his way back to the hotel room where Tony was dressed and almost ready. “Hey, how’d it go?” He said, peaking out from the bathroom.

“Better, I said we’d come back to visit.” Loki commented casually.

“Well see? That’s good.” He looked at him with concern. “Everything alright?”

Loki sighed, perching against the bathroom counter. “I ran into a  man on the street who mistook me for my bio dad, Laufey.”

“Christ, seriously?”

“Would I joke about something like that?” Loki said.

“That’s not…Jesus. Did you mention it to your mother?”

“I did, yes.” He said grimly.

“Have you ever told her about how, you know, that the two of you met?”

Loki looked down grimly. “I didn’t want to worry her, given his reputation.”

“Not unfounded, given the chain of events that followed.” Tony said, sounding angry, almost protective.

“Was my own fault.” Loki said uncomfortably.

“Oh sure, but you were just a kid who was dealing with Odin telling you he felt you shouldn’t take over in the Church. You were in a bad place and he took advantage of that.”

“I already was hanging with a bad crowd.”

“Small potatoes, he was the one who introduced you to the Thanos family, got you the job that landed you in the slammer.” He said.

Loki smiled grimly. “Geez Tony, why are you so good to me?”

“Hey, I’m gunning for you baby. Always.” Tony said gently as he rubbed his back.

“How could I forget?” Loki murmured. They kissed, Tony’s hand moving to the back of his head. As he did he caught sight of his watch and pulled away.

“Shit, we've got a plane to catch.” He said.

“Not a moment too soon." Loki grumbled as they collected their luggage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, hopefully I'll update soon (sooner then this one took anyway)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> been working on this chapter off and on for months and was on the back burner for awhile, but reread it and realized I had a chapter on my hands

“You know, he could’ve just been a buddy of Laufey’s.” Tony said as they unloaded their bags into the rental car.

“Perhaps.” Loki halfheartedly agreed.

“And hell, he didn’t even recognize you but dear old Dad, so –“

“Hun it’s fine.”

“I’m only saying.” Tony said, and Loki caught the worried look on his face and realized he was bantering on like a fool for his own sake. Christ, he’d unleashed the worry rat from it’s cage in Tony's head and now it was loose, gnawing away. Maybe he shouldn’t have said anything, what Tony imagined was bad enough.

“Let’s just go home, leave this god damn city.” Loki said, phone ringing just then.  He sighed with dismay when he saw it was his mother. “Fuck, it’s mom.”

“What would she be calling about?”

“Hell if I know.” Loki said, giving the screen a confirming swipe and bringing it to his ear. “Ma, what’s up? Didn’t I just see-”

She must’ve instantly launched into some conversation because Loki fell suddenly quiet. Tony gave him a critical look to which Loki responded with a raised eyebrow. “Is that right? A change of heart?”

“ _What’s going on?”_ Tony hissed, stepping closer.

“Hold on.” He said to his mother before holding the phone away from his head. “Apparently daddy dearest wants to try discussing things again.”

“Tell her she’s nuts.” Tony muttered.

“I’m not telling my mother she’s nuts.” Loki dismissed before placing the phone to his ear. “Tony say’s he’s nuts if he thinks he can get him back.” His face fell a bit as she gently criticized him for being so dismissive. “Right…oh no doubt.”

There was a look a resignation about him that Tony hated, there was something about it that scared him a little, a slackening of his face and a slouch to his shoulders, so different then his usual proud confident demeanor. He sometimes got it when his prison time was mentioned, and Tony knew it was wrong of him but he didn’t like thinking of the man like that.

As if he could read him mind, after glancing at Tony his expression hardened, straightening up and staring forward at a patch of bare concrete wall. _Drat, caught._

“Well I suppose it wouldn’t hurt just to listen. Alright…okay. See you in a bit.” Loki said, shutting off the phone.

“Christ, we’re not.” Tony said.

“It’s just seeing what he has to say. Apparently the bastard had a change of heart after mother came back from coffee or some nonsense like that.”

“You don’t think he did?”

“Do you?” Loki countered.

“No, and we have a plane to catch.” Tony pointed out.

“We do. And I’d give anything to go home but…I don’t know.” Loki said tiredly.

“You’re curious aren’t you?” Tony said after a moment.

“Aside from the mom guilt trip, yes. I mean, aren’t you?” He grimaced before adding: “Even if it isn’t your fight?”

“My fight’ll always be your fight babe.” Tony said lowly, wrapping an arm around him in a side hug and pressing his lips to his shoulder and murmuring into it: “Besides, lawyer remember? I’m an integral part of said fight.”

“Mmm, I’ll bet.” Loki answered, burrowing his face into Tony’s short fluffy hair, staying like that for a lingering moment before breaking away. “So you’re up for it?”

“If you really want to, we can hear what he has to say.” Tony said. “So the church or…”

“He wants to meet at the house.”

“The house, really? Didn’t want to go to the effort?”

“It’s a Saturday, he always finishes his sermon there. He’s inspired by nature.” Loki said with a lofty roll of the eyes.

“Alright then. I’ll just have to arrange another flight.” Tony agreed.

\---

They parked on the street of the Abraham family home, Loki tamping down the bile that seemed to creep up his throat.

“Never thought I’d be back here again.” Loki’s murmured they walked up to the house, voice hushed if he didn’t want to upset the thick aura of the past that seemed to cloak the area like a fog.

“Never thought I’d get to see it.” Tony answered.

“Well, lotta firsts going on.” Loki said as they stood in front of the house, Thor’s pickup and Odin’s Mercedes side by side, the only vehicle being absent was his mother’s standard ‘mom’ car, which was silver with a generic design and generic maker, perhaps Honda. “Looks like we’ll have company.”

“Maybe your brother was able to make him listen to reason.” Tony commented. He was about to knock but Odin opened the door before he could, stern expression on his face.

“You called?” Loki said. “I wouldn’t have answered but Mother insisted.”

 He looked between the two of them before saying: “Please, come it.”

The house hadn’t changed much since he’d last been there, hosting the same cozy almost bohemian atmosphere he remembered. Thor was in the living room, looking unnerved but perking up when they came in.

“Brother, my new friend, it’s excellent to see you again.” He said. “I’d love to introduce you to our mother but she had other commitments.”

“There’ll be time for that later. If you wouldn’t mind I’d like to speak to you in my office.” Odin insisted.

“So…” Tony said as they settled into his office, “You insisted you didn’t need my help, what changed?”

“I already had decent legal representation, and I still stand by them, but give the recent transpiring of events I feel like you’d be a more adequate choice.”

“So much for a change of heart.” Loki said with a smirk.

“Loki…” Thor chided.

“This is actually related to you, and your…previous associations.” Odin said with disgust. “I’ve learned a certain organized crime group is behind the lawsuit.”

“If you think this is Loki’s fault-“

“I didn’t say that.” Odin quickly said. “No it’s…it’s a bit more complicated then that. Something I assumed wouldn’t be an issue has uh...became an issue.”

“You borrowed money from Thanos’ people to build your church?” Loki said with mock aghast. “That’s drastic, even for you.”

Thor looked at Loki in dawning horror. “I’m sorry, did you just say Thanos? As in _the_ mob leader Thanos?”

 “I didn’t do that specifically, no.” Odin answered heavily, ignoring Thor. “But I do have a confession to make. I had a bit of a shady past, before Thor was born, before I even met your mother. I’m not proud of it, nor am I’m not proud of what I did to leave it behind.”

 “What, shady like me, as in organized crime shady?” Loki grinned with glee. “Were you a ring leader?”

He almost expected Thor to shoot him down, but instead weakly said: “Surely that isn’t true Father.”

He sighed heavily. “Well I can’t say I was not true. I liked to think I at least helped the community, if I didn’t do it someone worse someone else would.”

“A benevolent thug?” Tony offered with a raised brow.

“I was a lot younger then, couldn’t see the forest for the trees as they say. But thankfully the fates intervened and I saw the error of my ways.”

“What made you do that?”

He smiled sadly. “Your sister, Hella. Well, half sister. We were something of a team back in the day. The streets were ours, but one could say that wasn’t enough for her. She was ruthless, to the point where it earned her the moniker Angel of Death.”

“Something happened to her. You did something.” Loki said accusingly.

The corner of his mouth twitched in irritation. “What she did she did to herself.”

Loki scoffed a bit to himself, crossing his arms, and Odin glared over the desk at him. “Have something to say?”

“Oh of course, but I’ve always suspected you were a bit of hypocrite. No, my curiosity about what this has to do with the case is outweighs the opportunity to criticize your holiness.”

“Yes, I agree.” Thor chimed in, adding: “Though minus that last bit. What does this have to do with the case?”

“Your sister was incarcerated for manslaughter over twenty years ago, but for whatever reason was released a few years ago and is now aparently working with Thanos’s people, especially in regard to the case. I’m concerned about what might be dredged up about my past-“

“-Hence why you called me.” Tony finished. “And let me guess, you were reluctant to uh…” He lifted his hands to make quotes: “’Fight dirty’, but you just don’t know how else to tackle this thing.”

“Something like that.” Odin admitted. “You see Mr.Stark, I have an image to uphold for the sake of the community, even if my chances are good in the trial.”

“Right…” Tony said with a shake of his head. “You know even if we wanted to say yes, I’m not confident you’d let me do me properly job. I’m a very successful but that success is dependent on the client’s cooperation.”

Odin smiled uncomfortably. “Well, there’s time to discuss that further…Frigga suggested you hold off going back to Chicago for a day and stay for dinner, make up for lost times. We even have a spare bedroom you can stay in, because really what’s the point of wasting money on a hotel?”

“Why not?” Loki mutter under his breath as he leaned in. “Wanted to do it anyway, didn’t we?”

“Sure, why not.” Tony agreed in a normal volume.

\---

“So this is where you grew up?” Tony said as they walked down the street, after changing into more casual attire they decided to get some air. “It’s nice. Nice neighborhood.”

“I moved here when I was around fifteen, and if nice you mean boring then yes.”

“Did you not like moving?”

“I thought I would but then I didn’t. It just…changed everything.”

“How so?” Tony knew he shouldn’t pry, but Loki hardly ever talked about his childhood.

“I don’t know. I suppose I have trust issues. I was adopted at three which seems like a young age-“

“-But it was old enough.”

“Exactly. Being raised by someone like my birth-mother was chaos, from what I understand we were in and out of homes constantly, and from what I remember it felt like that. Being adopted by Odin though, it did improve things…for awhile anyway.”

Tony was about to ask another question when the sound of brisk angry strides came from behind them.

“Oh it isn’t that bad Thor.” Thor blurted out mockingly, large hands flourishing angrily in the air. “I’m not in too much trouble Thor. Your a damn liar Loki. Thanos?  Really?”

“I didn’t want to worry you, you or Mom.” Loki answered. “I was barely involved technically.”

“Well dad certainly knew.”

“I might’ve mentioned it to him. Last ditch effort to get him to sympathize.”

“I might’ve been able to help.” Thor protested.

“I didn’t need your help.” Loki spat back. “Plus I promised Dad I wouldn’t least you get…hands on I suppose you could say.”

“Since when did you ever listen to anything Dad said, especially in those days?”

“He might’ve used the time I sold you marijuana to guilt me into it.”

“Shit, really?” Tony said with an amused grin. “You sold your own brother drugs? Granted just weed, but still…”

“He knew I was involved in that sort of thing and came to me, and I figured: better me then something else.”

“Dad of course found out and went through the roof about it.” Thor chimed in.

“That was when he informed me I could never be someone like him.”  Loki said with amusement. “What sweet irony…though I’m surprised.”

“Surprised?” Thor asked.

“You didn’t hear about it elsewhere.”

“I think I must’ve heard something, but it’s the rumor mill. Just like that one about your bio dad being that one slimy drug dealer.”

“Laufey? Naw, that one’s true too.” Loki said regrettably. “I’ve actually met him…unfortunately…”

“Babe, do you really think you should be telling him all of this?” Tony muttered.

“Probably not, but might as well get it out.” Loki answered with frustration.

“You could’ve gotten yourself killed.” Thor growled in frustration.

“I dealt with it. Thankfully I wasn’t that involved in the business that Thanos gave me an out. I took it, and it’s been over and done with for ten years.”

“Clearly not, given recent events.” Thor said.

“Now, this isn’t Loki’s fault, this sounds more like your Dad’s fight…which I think has more too it then he’s letting on.”

“I find it unlikely he wouldn’t be a factor of it at all.” Thor pressed.

“Well I haven’t been a ‘factor’ of it for this long, why would I start to be now?” Loki snapped, which took Thor aback.

“I’m not blaming you, I’m just upset you didn’t come to me when you were in trouble.” He said sulkily.

\---

When they returned from their walk Frigga was back, naturally gushing over Tony, and showing him the garden when he made a passing comment about it. At that Thor bid them farewall, and that he'd see them for dinner.

“I hope this isn’t boring you.” She said after going on a bright enthusiastic spiel about her roses.

“Oh no, my own Mom had a garden. I’d love to have one myself but I don’t have the time and a certain someone doesn’t seem to take an interest in it.” Tony teased pointedly.

“It’s just not the skill set she passed down to me. Sewing on the other hand…”

“Oh, your into that too? Loki never mentioned that. I always just assumed he somehow just got into it from circumstance.”

“Yes I am. And no, I got him into it. I started teaching him when he was six, something to keep him out of mischief and breaking everything in the house. Kept it up into his teens even if it was a big secret from his friends. Can’t tell you how proud I am you could make a career out of it.”

“What about you Ma? I hope you’ve kept it up.” He inquired affectionately.

“Naturally,” She said before reluctantly adding: “I’m afraid I might’ve converted your old room into a sewing and crafts room.”

“Are you kidding? That’s fantastic, you have to show me.”

“Well…” She said turning reluctantly to Tony.

“It’s fine, go on.” He said. “If you don’t mind I’ll stay out here for awhile.”

“Oh, alright dear.” Frigga said before they left. He sighed, looking onward. He was sure Loki wanted at least a little time along with his mother, and he wouldn’t mind checking out the woods, mighty oaks that seemed to beacon from behind what recalled Loki saying was a twenty acre property.

He trudged through the oak grove, and glanced up with a frown when he heard a tapping, smirking when he saw it was a woodpecker.

“How ‘bout that?” He muttered to himself.

“Mr. Stark?”

Tony looked up to see Odin sitting on a stone bench about five yards away, and laughed uncomfortably.

“Sorry I didn’t realize you’d be out here.” Tony.

“It’s no bother. I see you seem to have lost your husband.” Odin said as he glanced around.

“Ah, yeah…I thought he’d want to spend a moment alone with his mother. He always talks about her after all.”

“Does he?” Odin asked. “I suppose I’m not surprised, they were close when he was growing up.”

“You’re a real piece of work you know that?” Tony said.

“I’m a man who had to protect his family.” Odin shot back stonily. “A man who used to associate with monsters like Thanos and knew what they were capable of.”

“Well you should’ve had more sympathy then…but while we’re at it I suppose you understand then why I might be reluctant. He made a deal ten years ago for his protection and I’m concerned this might compromise that.”

“This isn’t just for me mind you.” Odin pressed. “It’s for my family, for my community.”

“Which conveniently would protect you.” Tony remarked, earning a glare from Odin which he just returned with a nonchalant look.

“…But I haven't decided yet.” he added, Gazing out at the forest.

\---

In his old room his mother converted to a sewing haven, Loki admittedly ran his hand along a large measuring/cutting table. “This is fantastic. We have one of these at work, they’re very useful.”

“Christmas present from your father, five or six years ago.”

“Ah…” He said, quickly changing the subject. “…what sort of projects do you do nowadays?”

“I have a bit of a business, and alteration here, a dress there, though I mostly do quilts.” She beamed pridefully. “Developed quite the demand for those.”

“That’s fantastic Ma, I’m sure your great.” Next to a shelf full of fabric bolts a dragon drawn on the wall caught his eye, and he laughed. “What is this still doing here?”

“Oh, I couldn’t bear the thought of painting over it.” She stood next to him to look at it, giving his arm a squeeze.

“Dad was so pissed when I did it, I assumed it would be gone.”

“He suggested it, but I just wouldn’t have it, it’d be like…you never existed. I wanted a little part of you here still.”

He wondered what she knew about Odin’s past, about the daughter he’d never heard about.

“What’s he told you about the case?” Loki asked.

“Let’s not talk about that.” She said a little too quickly.

“Ma-“

“I know enough.” She said, voice pained.

“Alright, sorry.” He said, hugging her shoulder. “…I gotta say, this dragon is a little embarrassing. And more importantly it doesn’t fit.”

“What would you put there instead?” She asked.

“Koi fish.” He said after thinking for a moment. “Or cat fish, something like that.”

“Big orange and white fish, swimming along the walls.” She chimed in. “…I like that. Maybe you could do that for me, next time you’re here.”

He nodded, glancing over the walls. “I think I could do that, yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will update soon!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took me longer then I thought but I'm finally *finally* able to update

After the incident with his father, Tony went to look for Loki, who fortunately wasn’t very hard to find, talking about fish with his mother.

“Planning on getting an aquarium?” He inquired.

“Oh no, Loki and I were just talking about a mural he wanted to put in the sewing room. It just feels appropriate since I took it over.”

“I told you Ma, I didn’t mind you taking it over. It would’ve been a whole other story if the reverend re-utilized it for something.”

His mother looked at him disapprovingly at him, and out of discomfort Tony blurted: “Funniest thing, I just ran into him when I was outside.”

Loki tusked. “Dammit, didn’t realize he was out there already.”

“Well of course, all that trial talk cut a good chunk out of his morning as it was.” He mother said, and Loki shook his head.

‘Of course’ he muttered under his breath, before saying: “Tony, we should go out and get that bottle of wine we were talking about.”

“Oh hun, you don’t need to do that, we have plenty of wine.” Frigga protested.

“Uh...We insist, it’s a gesture of our appreciation of your hospitality.” Tony said, trying to go along with what Loki was saying, the idea of getting out of the house wasn't a bad one after all.

“Well everyone gives us them, frankly I’d appreciate it more if you got blue cheese and cherry tomatoes for the salad, I completely blanked on it when I was at the store.”

Tony and Loki exchanged a look, and Loki said: “Well we’d be happy to do that instead then.”

\---

“Is everything alright?” Tony asked as they got back into their car as Loki scrolled through his phone, which tony glanced at. “Are you looking up dress shops?”

“I have a hunch and I want to see an old friend, the one I used to work with specifically."

“Well get a load of you Columbo.” Tony commented dryly. Loki put away his phone and made a move to put on his seat belt but he stopped him.

“Please, please tell me you aren’t about to visit one of your old mob friends.” Tony pleaded.

“She’s hardly that.” Loki dismissed. “She’s just a sweet old lady…who might know what’s going on because she happens to know people in those circles.”

“Loki…”

“She’s harmless!”

“Over my dead body. We’re going to the store and aren’t getting in any trouble. For me?”

“Fine.” Loki relented. “To the Shnucks supermarket we shall go, just hand me the baseball cap I swiped from Thor’s truck just in case I could get recognized again.”

Later when they were in the store Loki pointed out: “At least I was going with you rather then sneaking off.”

“Well when you put it like that…” Tony rolled his eyes with exasperation. “Christ Lokes, why do you even care? This is like…Alien vs. Predator, two monster going after each other. It’s poetic in a way.”

“Maybe, but there’s still concern people I give half a shit about will get caught in the crossfire.”

“Aw, baby…”  Tony cooed, before swatting him in the butt. “I love you but you’re a dumbass sometimes. You’re brother’s a big burly construction worker and your mother was a missionary in Uganda. The later of which I don’t particularly agree with but my point is I’m sure she and your brother can handle themselves just fine.”

“Yes but they aren’t hardened assholes like him.” Loki quipped, eliciting laughter from Tony.

"Watch it, you've still gotta get through the evening with the guy."

\---

As promised Thor came back, proudly bearing a side of scalloped potatoes.

“I was just in a mood for it.” He said, handing it to their mother.

“That’s a throwback.” Loki commented as he rose from the couch, and when Tony gave him a confused look he added: “Church potlucks, they were a staple of them. Aside from green bean casserole and whatever type of cobbler showed up.”

Thor scoffed at that. “If we got lucky, usually it was oatmeal raisin cookies or those jello concoctions the older ladies bring.”

Odin came in that moment, putting an end to the two brother’s comradery and making way for stiff dinner small talk, mostly about work. Things remained at a tense but uneventful status quo until after dinner when they moved to the living room. It could've been due to the amount of wine drunk between several of them, though the late hour was also likely to blame. There was something about the evening that made one turn off one’s inhibitions, which in some cases was good but it others made for some regrettable consequences.

“So…” Odin said, setting his almost depleted wine glass on the coffee table. “I’m dying to know, are the rumors true about you two?”

“Dear-“ Frigga cautioned him.

“Yes, I don’t thing we really need to talk about that.” Thor chimed in, worried the subject would turn onto his own marital status.

“What ‘rumors’ are we talking about?” Tony said boldly. Loki drew a nervous breath, taking a long drink of his wine, and Tony placed a hand on his knee in an attempt at comforting but in the moment came across as possessive. Loki almost was inclined to pull away but knew, given the present topic that would look bad.

“Mainly the ones surrounding your marriage. Like the one about you getting  married only after a few weeks of knowing each other, or that you did it just because someone accused you of being a party boy, who didn’t take anything seriously.” He scoffed. “…If it was the case that’s rather ironic.”

“Now, first of all, I’d known Loki a lot longer then that, I think…over a year at that point?” He said, turning to Loki, who shrugged as he tried to mentally make himself disappear.

“Oh, over a year?” Odin said with mock sincerity. “Well that changes everything.”

"Well when you know you know." Tony insisted defensively, tension filling the room until Loki spoke up.

He lifted his head, leveling narrowed eyes at the man. “Who the hell are you question the validity of my marriage? What because you’re a reverend? With a church? And I’m an ex-convict? Also if you want to talk irony there -“

“No, because I see too many people these days who are too impulsive with something that should be sacred. And yes, I may have my past but I turned my life around and never looked back.” Odin barked back.

“I think everyone needs a nice cup of coffee. Thor?”

“I’d love to help.” Thor said, jumping up. “Didn’t I see pie in the fridge?”

“Marvelous idea.” She chimed in.

“You wanna know the truth big man? You wanna know the dirty truth? It was a joke.”

“Babe, what are you doing-“

“You know what, screw it. I refused to just sit here and be slandered.” Loki dismissed. “We’d been planning on getting hitched for months, he wanted a decent sized wedding, which I admit I might've wanted too but-“

“Okay, I think we’re going to retire for the night.” He said, plucking the wine glass from Loki’s hand.

“I’m not done!” Loki protested standing up.

“Why then?” Odin demanded, following suit so Tony stood too, worriedly looking at Loki. “Why embarrass your family more then you needed to?”

“Embarrass…” Loki said with a manic laugh and shake of his head. “I felt it would be an insult to get married and not not have my family there, mother especially. Do you know how much-" He bit his lip, shaking his head. "It hurt, perhaps I wanted to express that. 

Thor cleared his throat. “Could’ve eloped quietly.” He said, and Loki turned cold eyes to him brother. Hell, him too?

“Fuck what did I just say...I don’t do quiet!" He said a little too loudly, cringing at the volume of his own voice, swallowing hard. "...Though I’m sure I've made that clear tonight.” He add. "Also, I'd have thought us being together for as long as we had after the fact would've counted for something." He shook his head sculking off.

“Thanks for opening that bag of cats.” Tony said bitingly to Odin before following Loki’s suit, the not before nodding at Frigga an muttering: ‘Lovely dinner, good night.’

They didn’t say much when they got in private, something unspoken hanging between them, Loki disappeared in the bathroom for awhile and came out with red eyes, wearing that long harrowed look on his face that scared Tony. They never did deal well with feelings, especially the ugly ones that were unspoken that terrified Tony because he didn't know how to deal with them, the ones Loki tried to hide until they couldn't be hidden anymore.

He did try sometimes thought. You _should get help, Talk to someone,_ He'd say on every now and again, the words sounded wrong when they came up. He'd tried to breach the topic kindly, but of course Loki didn't take it well.

 _I'm fine, why dredge up the shit? It's how my leaves are so green._ He insisted. But it never seemed that way to Tony, it was always there's festering in him more like a like a cavity on a tooth...or an abscess.

“Night…” Muttered Tony about to switch off the singular light coming from his bedside lamp when Loki weakly spoke up.

 “I messed up tonight didn’t I?” Loki ask. “Got caught up in the moment.”

“It's okay.” Tony said tiredly, easing back and rolling on his side to face him. “Fucker started it.”

“I embarrassed you too, didn't I?” Loki said, words managing to be accusatory, despite being soft. “That’s why you told me to shut up.”

“I didn’t say that.” Tony countered defensively.

“You know what I mean, it was in the intent.”

“I didn't intend it, and I sure as hell I didn’t say it.” He insisted. “I just didn’t want you to say anything you’d regret.”

“I’m not one of your fucking clients, It’s my business to be a fuck up. Always been one, way change now?”

“Okay, now you need to shut the fuck up.” Tony said affectionately, Loki’s brow furrowed critically, wondering where he was going with this.

“I don’t know if it’s being back in this house and in this room that looks like something from a bed and breakfast that inspires this lack of confidence-“

“Your defiantly not the first guy to make that comparison.”

“- But you have changed. Flourished in fact, you shouldn’t base your worth on what that old fart thinks of you.”

Loki laughed a bit. “Can you believe how mad he was?”

“You almost sound pleased.” Tony murmured in amusement, shifting closer.

“For that, it’s almost still worth it, that night we got hitched I mean.” Loki said. “The fact it still gets a rise out of the bastard.”

“We did have fun that night though, didn’t we?” Tony said and he sprawled against him, arms folded on his chest. "Even if it was just a show."

“I don't think it was completely just for show." Loki agreed, smiling as he reached up to run his fingers through Tony's short hair."...The night was big and beautiful and the world was ours.”

“Still is.” Tony commented, moving to kiss him, and Loki hummed, kissing back.

“It was our night…no one else’s.” He added.

Tony made an noise of agreement before asking: “...Hold up, who was this first guy you speak of? Granted you could be talking about a friend but-"

Loki chuckled and with a soft slow tired motion had Tony on his back, eyes sad as he looked down at him. "Oh I guarantee he wasn't just a friend. The double bed and all, family was out of town...I remember being all 'it's like a hotel' and that's uh...that's how he answered."

"Fuck, I'm sorry for making the comparison then." Tony said sympathetically, rubbing his shoulder.

"Oh it's fine, you didn't mean it like that, I mean, fuck..." He shook his head. "I forgot about it until now."

"Still, he sounds like a rude shit." Tony murmured.

"Well he was a bit of a punk."

"That's no excuse." Tony dismissed comfortingly. "Not to you anyway."

"I suppose you're right." Loki said, rolling his eyes as he leaned over to turn off Tony's bedside lamp and settling in beside him. "...He was a bit punk, I was a bit goth, we were both weird so I assumed we'd click but...not so much."

"I wouldn't know." Tony said, hand now straying over his body.

"What, because you were a cool kid?"

"Well I wasn't uncool, but what I'm saying is I went to a private school there wasn't a lot of room for self expression. Even after that I don't know what I was."

"You were a prep." Loki said gleefully, smile spreading across his face.

"Oh, take that back..." Tony said, as Loki nuzzled his neck, the slight abrasion of a five o'clock shadow he'd wisk away in the morning, maintaining the illusion it was never there to begin with.

"I've see pictures of you, you were a pretty boy prep."

"I was a mess." Tony.

"Well at least we have that in common." Loki said as he brought his lips to his as their bodies moved against each other, both starting to not feel quite as tired as they had been moments before.

As Loki shifted his leg inside Tony's thighs, he brushed against a particular area and grinned fiendishly. "...Someone's getting excited."

"Maybe a little. But I'm not fucking in this bed, it's...creaky."

Loki whined, pouting as he pressed a smooch against his sternum. "But we don't have to fuck, we can do...other things." He practically cooed, looking upwards at Tony in the low light as he left a trail of kisses downward. "Hmm? We're married remember, it isn't weird."

"It's still a little weird..." Tony said, scotching backward into the pillows so he was in more of a half sitting position. "But since when have I said no to weird?"

Afterward, sated and in each other's arms: Tony muttered: "Hopefully doing that here made up somewhat for uh...you know who."

"Shithead punk?" Loki supplied.

"Yes."

"Of course, no question." He answered, elaborating: "Your certainly better at sucking cock then he was."

Tony broke out into silent laughter at that, body shaking in the dark. "God dammit, you're the worst."

"I know, I love you too."

\---

Loki was up early the next morning, eager to make the flight they rescheduled and went to the kitchen to make coffee. He heard the padding of socked feet and knowing who it was, said without turning: “Your new coffee maker is nonsense.”

“A friend of your Mother’s gave it to us.” Odin said pushing past him. “Here, let me, it is my house after all and in a matter of speaking you’re the guest.”

“Well, habits.” Loki leaned against the sink as he watched the man he’d called ‘Dad’ for years set it up. Even after ten years and without his long hair there was something hauntingly familiar about standing in the kitchen with him in his crisp 'Sunday best' clothes he wore under his pastoral robes and stole. Almost as if they'd gone back to a time before everything had gone to shit.

 “…I like to say I’m more of a morning person then Tony but the truth of the matter I think I like doing it for him.” He scoffed. “Hell, then again I was probably influenced by you, always puttering out first to make the coffee. Sure, mom made breakfast but you always did coffee, that was your thing.”

He smiled grimly admitting: “It’s one of those things that' always appreciated, and it's nice to be appreciated.”

Loki scoffed waving a finger at that in recognition. “Yes, that’s it.”

Odin, having finished setting up coffee maker, huffed uncomfortably. “You know, there’s a particular sermon I tell from time to time, about learning how to admit when your were wrong.”

Loki sighed rolling his eyes. “I do remember those yes.”

“…What I said last night was out of line.” Odin pressed on. “About your marriage, about your husband, about you.”

Loki raised his brow at that. “Really? You're admitting being of line?”

“It was your business, and you’re retort was right. I’d essentially banished you and in hindsight that might’ve done more harm then good.”

“Well I did fine.” Loki shot back.

“How you did isn’t particularly my point.” He smiled a little to himself, reminiscing: “I figured: ‘He’ll be fine’. He’s just like his old man, he’s indestructible. Like a cockroach”

"I suppose you're not wrong.” Loki continued. "Wait, you are talking about yourself right?"

"Indeed. Speaking of..." Odin started carefully. “I should say you whatever you and your husband decide it shouldn’t be based on punishing me, I’ll be fine, if you get my drift."

“Drift taken...one cockroach to another.” Loki said lowly.

Odin flashed a tight smile just as Tony was exiting the guest room with his suitcase. "Your welcome to come to morning service if you like." He said in voice that was loud enough for Tony to hear.

"As much as we'd enjoy a congregation full of whispers and side glances we're sort of eager to get home." Loki said.

\---

"I can't believe you're still on this." Tony said, massaging his temple. They'd just said goodbye to everyone and were once again about to go on their way to the airport when Loki made the suggestion he'd made yesterday. He hadn't intended to but what Odin said had affected him more then he'd like to admit.

"Please, like I said she's an old friend, if anything I'm obligated to say hello before we go." Loki said. "And we do have a little bit of time before we need to be there."

Tony sighed. "You know it's Sunday, right?"

"If she still works there she'll be there, the store won't be open but I'll call ahead."

Tony shrugged. "If you really want it, fine."

"Love you." Loki said with a smile, giving him a grateful kissing him on the temple.

"Yeah, well keep in mind to be careful." Tony cautioned.

The shop was one Loki spoke of from time to time, Tony supposed it was one of the few things he fondly remembered about that time in his life. He always described it it as a 'dump, like the one you found me in' and yet that was the last thing Tony would describe it as.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Tony asked as he looked around.

"They said on the phone it was, it sounded like they knew who I was and said I could go ahead and come in." He said as he knocked on the door, peering in as a confused young woman walked over to open the door.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" She asked.

"Depends. Does Gladys still work here?"

"I don't know who that is." She said in a naive confusion that Loki had to suppress his annoyance at. _It's probably been years since she's been here._

"She was the old owner."  A woman with a lanky figure flattered by a smart pant suit said as she emerged from the back, studying him with intrigue. "He's an old employee, we just talked on the phone. Please, join me in my office, You can even bring your lawyer friend." She spoke with an unremarkable accent that sounded like it was masking something, but you couldn't be quite sure of what.

"Well, that isn't exactly how I'd describe myself." Tony said, sounding a little flustered as they followed her.

Loki glared in annoyance at her. "Hun if she knows your a lawyer she probably knows who you are, or who I am for that matter."

"Aren't you quick." the woman said.

"Who are you?" Loki inquired as they got to here office and she sat down like a queen on a throne, instinctively running her fingers over her scalp, as if to check for nonexistent stray hairs that had fallen out of place from the sleek bun she swept her long dark hair into.

"You don't know? I'm someone very close."

"What, are you another one of Laufey's bastards?" Tony said, admittedly hoping to get a rise out of here and given the way her face curled in disgust he succeeded.

"God damn it, given how often I get that I wish I could kill that asshole again." She said with exasperation.

"Again?" Loki asked.

"He is dead, I can't take credit though." She said, quietly adding with big innocent eyes: "I swear."

“We’ll that would be your thing wouldn’t it?” Loki said with slow realization. “Being the angel of death and all that.”

Hella rolled her eyes. “Figures dear old dad would ruin the surprise.” She said, dropping the neutral accent in favor of her natural British one. “And you two have been here all of what, two days?”

“To be fair I don’t think he knew you were here until yesterday.” Tony said. “Honestly I would’ve thought someone like you would lay low.”

“Who do you think turned this fair establishment around?” She said, gesturing to the building around her. “I’ve been here almost two years, how’s that for laying low.” She said with a smile. “But given the recent turn of events that wasn’t as possible.”

“So, just to make sure I have the story straight…you teamed up with my old…well lets call him ‘boss’, took over the store I worked at, and are involved in a lawsuit against my fa- I mean, the reverend.”

“He’s my ‘reverend’ too remember.” Hella quipped with a wink. “Well, he wasn’t as such when I knew him, but you get the gist.”

“But you are involved in this.” Tony said, in an almost disbelieving tone.

“I’m not about to admit to anything, but hypothetically, it’d be ingenious if I was now wouldn’t it?”

“Why not just make the bastard disappear?” Loki pointed out, but Hella made a face, waving the idea off.

“…Well if I were to do that it runs the risk of making him look like a martyr, better he be dragged through the mud.” She looked at Loki quizzically. “I would’ve thought you’d have been more appreciative of that, given what he did to you.”

“I don’t appreciate the rest of my family getting dragged with him.” Loki said.

Her expression fell at that. “Well be an ingrate, see if I care.”

“Your going to pay for this.” Tony said lowly, but she just smiled at that.

“Well aren’t you the knight in tarnish armor…If your intent is to help him, no one’s going to stand in you’re way. Though if he accepted help from the likes of you it’s already a lost cause.”

“We’ve got a plane to catch.” Tony said  before walking out. Loki held back, sharing a challenging look with his new found sister.

"I hear good things about you." She said coolly. "Despite everything Thanos still speaks fondly of you, felt you had potential."

"I'm sure, but I paid quite the price to uh...extract myself, things are better now."

"Are they? Or are they just better because you got yourself a sugar daddy you can play house with?" She leaned forward and added: "...Wouldn't you feel better if you were something more?"

"Babe, you coming?" Tony called from the other room and she raised a brow at him.

"Hubby's calling." She said with a smirk, and he glared.

"Fuck off." He snapped before storming away.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and for sticking with me so far! Much appreciated


End file.
